Journalism, civil liberties and the war on terrorism (full-report/request printed copy) - Special report by the International Federation of Journalists and Statewatch. This 64 page report includes an analysis of current policy developments as well as a survey of 20 selected countries in Africa, Asia, Europe, Latin Amercia, the Middle East and the USA.
“An atmosphere of fear and uncertainty is being created and civil liberties are being torn to shreds, even in states with a reputation for tolerance and pluralism,” said Aidan White, IFJ General Secretary. “This report is an alarm call to democracies," said Tony Bunyan, Statewatch Director. "In the name of the "politics of fear" we are in great danger of sleepwalking into a surveillance society while the democratic values we have taken for granted are being sacrificed in the ‘war on terrorism’” (10. May 2005).
The “war on freedom and democracy”: a 5,000 word analysis of the effects on civil liberties and democratic culture in the EU by Statewatch editor,Tony Bunyan: Analysis
Experts on Fundamental Rights highly critical of EU response to 11 September: Updated: 6 May 2003 with the final version of the report: Commentary Thematic report on freedom and security and responses to terrorist threats (pdf)
(25.9.03) Biometrics - EU takes another step down the road to 1984: Report
- biometric documents for visas and resident third country nationals to be introduced by 2005
- biometric passports/documents for EU citizens to follow
- "compulsory" fingerprints and facial images
- data and personal information to be held on national and EU-wide databases
- admission that powers of data protection authorities vary and are "under-resourced"
- no guarantees that data will not be made available to non-EU states (eg: USA)
(20.10.03) Statewatch submission to the EU Network on Independent Experts on fundamental rights raises 22 major civil liberties concerns: Statewatch submission
"Left unchecked basic freedoms and democratic standards - freedom of movement, freedom of expression and the right to protest, freedom from surveillance in everyday life, accountability, scrutiny and data protection - will be whittled away one by one threatening the very democracy being defended by the "war on terrorism" "
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