A transition for Statewatch
17 March 2026
In this video interview, Chris Jones and Alamara Khwaja Bettum discuss Statewatch's past, present and future. They review Chris's last 15 years of Statewatch and his thoughts on the current and future state of politics, civil liberties and activism.
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Until last year, Statewatch had only had two executive directors since its inception 35 years ago.
The first was our founder, Tony Bunyan, who began Statewatch in 1991. After the signing of the Treaty of Maastricht, Tony, along with a group of individuals across Europe, saw a need. Reporting on the new laws, policies, and institutions introduced by the Treaty, Statewatch became a critical watchdog for civil liberties in Europe.
Nearly 30 years later, our second director, Chris Jones, stepped up from his role as a researcher to take the lead. He continued to build on the work we'd long become known for, while also writing and implementing Statewatch's first-ever strategic plan. He formalised practices, grew our network, and helped get Statewatch where it is today.
Now, 5 years later, Chris is returning to his research role and a new Executive Director, Alamara Khwaja Bettum, is stepping in.
To mark this transition for Statewatch, Chris and Alamara sat down for the above conversation. They discussed Chris's experience leading Statewatch, where he thinks we are headed, and what remains to be done.
Would you like to support Statewatch in this transition? If so, we invite you to become a 'Friend of Statewatch' by making a regular donation. Small, monthly amounts help us keep the lights on—both to light our archive and to illuminate state powers.
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