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.

16 January 2019

Germany's intelligence agency to step up surveillance of AfD

"Germany's domestic intelligence will step up monitoring for political extremism of the far-right AfD [Alternative für Deutschland, Alternative for Germany] party, sources said Tuesday, a blow to the party in a busy election year."

16 January 2019

Libya: Rescued at sea, locked up, then sold to smugglers

"The Souq al Khamis detention centre in Khoms, Libya, is so close to the sea that migrants and refugees can hear waves crashing on the shore. Its detainees – hundreds of men, women and children – were among 15,000 people caught trying to cross the Mediterranean in flimsy boats in 2018, after attempting to reach Italy and the safety of Europe."

16 January 2019

UK: 'Degrading strip search left me with PTSD'

"A woman subjected to a "degrading" strip search by police in London is challenging a decision not to punish the officer who authorised it."

16 January 2019

UK: Grayling under fire as serious crimes committed on parole soar by 50%

"The number of rapes, murders and other serious crimes committed by offenders on parole has risen by more than 50% since reforms to probation were introduced four years ago, according to official data that has triggered calls for the government to rethink its plans for another shake-up of the service."

16 January 2019

Moldova-ECHR: Activist’s conviction for using sculptures of genitals to protest against corruption was “manifestly disproportionate”

"In today’s Chamber judgment in the case of Mãtãsaru v. the Republic of Moldova (application no. 69714/16) the European Court of Human Rights held, unanimously, that there had been: a violation of Article 10 (freedom of expression) of the European Convention on Human Rights."

16 January 2019

Ireland: State seeks ‘leapfrog appeal’ of landmark Dwyer ruling on data retention law

"The State is to ask the Supreme Court to hear its appeal against a High Court ruling that sections of the Communications (Retention of Data) Act 2011 are inconsistent with EU law."

14 January 2019

EU: Bulgaria and Hungary are undermining the rule of law with "European supervision"

According to analyses published earlier this month by the website Verfassungsblog, the Bulgarian and Hungarian governments are undermining the rule of law and the independence of the judiciary whilst obtaining nominal approval for their actions from institutions such as the European Commission, the European Court of Human Rights and the Council of Europe's Venice Commission (formally known as the European Commission for Democracy through Law).

14 January 2019

Northern Ireland: PSNI agrees to publish policy on biometric data retention in court case settlement

"The PSNI will publish a formal public policy on its retention of biometric data after settling a case brought by the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC)."

14 January 2019

EU Commission wants to use artificial intelligence for surveillance

"An EU document compares machine learning with the invention of electricity. A total of 20 billion euros is to be invested in research into „AI made in Europe“."

14 January 2019

EU: Council: Values of the Union - Hungary - Article 7 (1)

"Delegations will find in the Annex a Commission non-paper providing factual information on the values-related infringement proceedings in relation to Hungary."

14 January 2019

UK frees asylum seeker facing deportation to DRC

"A Congolese asylum seeker who was due to be removed from the UK on Christmas Day has been released from detention, a decision that has been welcomed by the community in Swansea that is supporting him."

10 January 2019

Infamous history: RAF veteran ‘admitted 1961 killing of UN secretary general’

"Exclusive: Cold case documentary casts new light on mystery of Dag Hammarskjöld’s plane crash."

09 January 2019

Refugee crisis: latest news from across Europe (3-9.1.19)

Including: - Sea Watch and Sea Eye allowed to disembark in Malta - Man dies in Moria camp on Lesvos, Greece and Oxfam condemns conditions - Italian mayors oppose Salvini's migration decree - UN report on conditions faced by migrants and refugees in Libya

09 January 2019

Greece: Migrant Found Dead at Lesvos Refugee Camp

"A 24-year-old man from Cameroon was found dead inside the Moria migrant camp on the eastern Aegean island of Lesvos early Tuesday morning."

 

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