2020

Launched in 1999 and updated regularly, Statewatch News includes our own reporting and writing as well as articles, announcements, documents and analyses from elsewhere on civil liberties, EU policies and state practices. You can receive updates in your inbox by signing up to our mailing list, or use an RSS feed to get instant alerts.

14 January 2020

Greece to build new facilities for 15,000 migrants

"The Greek government has decided to build 10 new facilities to house 15,000 migrants, as new irregular arrivals from neighbouring Turkey continue."

13 January 2020

UK: History repeats itself with calls to introduce mandatory SIM registration

An official review of police action against 'county lines' drugs gangs has said that the possibility for people to purchase and use mobile phone SIM cards anonymously "enables criminality" and that the Home Office "should commission a review of the criminal abuse of mobile telecommunications services" by the end of 2020.

13 January 2020

UK: No sanctuary for migrants: Undocumented migrants criminalised

An article exploring the use of criminal law powers against undocumented migrants in the north of England.

13 January 2020

Ireland: Concerns 'spying powers' still being used despite ruling Irish legislation breached EU law

The Irish authorities are still using surveillance powers that have been ruled illegal by both EU and domestic courts.

13 January 2020

12 migrants found dead after boat sinks off western Greece

"Greece's coast guard reports that 12 bodies of migrants have been collected from the Ionian Sea, southwest of the Greek island of Paxos in western Greece, after their boat took in water and sank."

13 January 2020

UK: Priti Patel defends inclusion of Extinction Rebellion on UK terror list

The UK Home Secretary has defended the inclusion of the non-violent protest group Extinction Rebellion in a police document on extremist ideologies. This is the latest in a long line of non-violent individuals and campaign groups being labelled as "extremist" by the police.

13 January 2020

Europol Study: Disclosure of electronic evidence often fails due to incompetence of authorities

A Europol report suggests that national law enforcement authorities are often unable to obtain 'e-evidence' from digital service providers due to filing their requests incorrectly.

13 January 2020

UK: Undercover Inequality: Help challenge sexism in the justice system

A crowdfunding campaign to aid a case against the lack of criminal punishment for undercover police officers engaging in sexual relationships.

13 January 2020

EU-ERITREA: How Forced Labor in Eritrea Is Linked to E.U.-Funded Projects

A fresh round of funding from the EU Trust Fund for Africa will provide 20 million euros to a road construction project in Eritrea that uses the labour of forced military conscripts.

11 January 2020

UK: The Hope Project Charity Auction

An auction to raise money for The Hope Project in Lesvos, to be held at Christie's in London, 6–17 January 2020.

09 January 2020

Scotland: SCVO warns against extension of Scottish Freedom of Information Act

"Extending the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act to charities that deliver public sector services would create a "disproportionate burden" on voluntary sector organisations, the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations has warned the Scottish government."

09 January 2020

EU: Irregular migration into EU at lowest level since 2013

"The number of irregular border crossings detected on the European Union’s external borders last year fell to the lowest level since 2013 due to a drop in the number of people reaching European shores via the Central and Western Mediterranean routes."

09 January 2020

Malta: UNHCR concerned about fire at reception centre, calls for urgent action on detention conditions

"UNHCR is deeply concerned about the fire that broke out at the Initial Reception Centre in Marsa on Wednesday 8th January 2020."

09 January 2020

UK: MPs reject Labour's call to reinstate child refugee pledge

"The Commons has rejected an attempt by Labour to reinstate child refugee protection rights in the Brexit bill."

09 January 2020

EU: EASO operations to double in size this year

"In December 2019, the European Asylum Support Office (EASO) signed Operating Plans with the national asylum authorities of Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Malta, following needs-based discussions on the support which the Agency will provide throughout 2020."

08 January 2020

Spain-Morocco: Statement on the hot returns from the Chafarinas on 3 January: "a serious violation of human rights"

Yesterday morning, on 3 January 2020, a group of 42 migrant people, including 26 women and two children aged three and four, reached Congress Island in the Chafarinas archipelago. That same evening, the Guardia Civil enacted the summary return of the 42 migrants. On this occasion, the Spanish government allowed the hot return of vulnerable minors and women.

08 January 2020

Malta: MV Lifeline captain conviction overturned on appeal

"MV Lifeline captain Claus Peter Reisch is a free man, after the Court of Criminal Appeal overturned his conviction for ship registration irregularities."

08 January 2020

New analysis: Shadow army or isolated cases? Right-wing structures in the security authorities

Over two years after the case of Franco A (an army lieutenant who had created a false identity as a refugee, seemingly in order to commit terrorist attacks) came to light, public attention and official sensitivity to the problem of right-wing attitudes and structures in the military and police have decreased significantly.

 

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