News
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 our RSS feed to get instant alerts.
Greece: Legal case launched against Frontex director for "aggravated defamation"
A legal complaint has been submitted against Frontex executive director Fabrice Leggeri for “aggravated defamation by the press” by the Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM), on behalf of themselves and 27 people who were “illegally deported”.
EU: Drugs strategy includes actions to "tackle encryption" and postal snooping
The Draft EU Drugs Action Plan 2021-25 is heading to the Council for approval, and amongst other things includes an action to "improve possibilities to tackle encryption," as well as the use of new technologies (including the near-ubiquitous "artificial intelligence") for "monitoring suspicious postal items... while preserving the fundamental right of privacy of correspondence."
UK: Metropolitan Police branded "institutionally corrupt" by inquiry into murder of private detective
London's Metropolitan Police engaged in a form of "institutional corruption" by delaying and denying access to documents and information held by the force that were sought by an inquiry into the unsolved 1987 murder of Daniel Morgan, a private detective.
EU: Tracking the Pact: Council ready for negotiations with Parliament on European Agency for Asylum
The Council has agreed its position - published here - on the proposed Regulation on the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), which would take the place of the European Asylum Support Office and have an extended remit and powers.
UK: MPs must ensure protection for encrypted communications
Over 30 organisations, including Statewatch, have signed a statement published in UK parliament's magazine The House, calling on MPs to ensure that the Online Safety Bill does not undermine or threaten the encryption of digital communications.
UK and USA confirm continued cooperation on undermining encryption
The UK and USA have outlined their continued commitment to military and security cooperation, including through ongoing plans to undermine encryption for digital communications.
UN Special Rapporteur: report on the human rights impact of pushbacks
Pushback practices are widespread and have become "a routine element of border governance", says the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants.
EU: Short-sighted Commission consultation on plan against migrant smuggling
The European Commission recently launched a consultation on the EU action plan against migrant smuggling (2021-2025). However, its strategy for the new plan did not involve a thorough evaluation of actions to date, and its questions for contributors "are clearly geared towards legitimising a pre-determined set of actions". Statewatch's submission called for public debate about the root causes of migrant smuggling and the impact, legitimacy and effectiveness of EU action taken to prevent and punish it.
Greece rebuffs refugee travel abuse claims from northern Schengen states
In response to a letter from six northern Schengen states calling for action to prevent the "secondary movement" of refugees from Greece, the Greek government has argued that "the focus needs to be placed on preventing primary flows," meaning stricter border controls.
EU: Council Presidency discussion paper on artificial intelligence and internal security
Final version of the Council Presidency's paper on the proposed Artificial Intelligence Act and the implications for internal security use of AI technologies, sent to COREPER and the Council to inform discussion at yesterday and today's Justice and Home Affairs Council meeting.
The rise of antisemitism online during the pandemic: A study of French and German content
A study contracted by the European Commission finds that the coronavirus pandemic "has only served to exacerbate a worrying trend in terms of online antisemitism."
Frontex confronted with allegations of violence in North Macedonia
Allegations that officials deployed on Frontex operations have participated in or condoned violence against people on the move in North Macedonia must be investigated, says a letter sent to Frontex today by Statewatch and Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN).
Frontex: EU Court of Auditors finds agency inefficient and ineffective
The European Court of Auditors (ECA) announced on Monday 7 June that its latest audit of the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex, found that the body is not ready to effectively implement its mandate under the 2019 Regulation.
Whip Greece into shape so we can resume migrant removals, northern Schengen states demand
A letter from six northern EU member states, obtained by Statewatch, calls on the European Commission to take steps to make it possible to resume removals of asylum-seekers and refugees to Greece and put a halt to "secondary movements".
EU: New powers for Europol: Presidency progress report and latest member state comments
Discussions in the Council on granting extended powers to EU police agency Europol are pressing ahead, with a number of the "thematic blocs" in the proposal closed, according to an internal Presidency report published here alongside the member states' most recent comments.
“The potential for abuse is too great”: Global call to ban biometric surveillance in public spaces
Statewatch is one of almost 180 organizations from across the globe calling for a ban on uses of facial and other remote biometric recognition technologies that enable mass and discriminatory targeted surveillance.
EU: Growing online censorship of presumed "violent extremism" of all ideological varieties
EU police agency Europol recently undertook its first ever "Referral Action Day against right-wing terrorist online propaganda," in which officers trawled the internet to file complaints about material that may contravene platforms' terms of service.
EU: Tracking the Pact: Council documents on coordination of externalisation, "partnerships" and Afghanistan
Three Council documents on the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum's externalisation aspects, covering: how to establish better EU-national coordination on externalisation of migration control; how to implement comprehensive "partnerships" on migration with priority countries; and a more detailed overview on relations on migration with Afghanistan.
Arriving soon: global air travel surveillance and passenger profiling with no democratic control
The ICAO, Interpol and various UN bodies are continuing their efforts to aid the establishment of systems for the surveillance of air travel and the automated profiling of passengers.
A tribute to Thomas Mathiesen
Thomas Mathiesen, the renowned sociologist, passed away on 29 May 2021. Tony Bunyan, Statewatch Director Emeritus, pays tribute to his life and work.
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