Archive
Spain: Newspaper that exposed undercover police operations faces lawsuit
A Catalan newspaper that exposed police officers infiltrating social movements is fighting back against a data protection lawsuit. Read More
Outsourcing Borders: Bulletin 17
“Across the Atlantic, we see the violence and fear created by ICE’s brutal immigration enforcement. Read More
Police racism and criminalisation across Europe increasingly fuelled by digital ‘prediction’ and profiling systems
London, 30 June 2025 – The civil liberties organisation Statewatch has published a report that reveals how police and criminal legal system authorities across Europe are using data-based, algorithmic and AI systems to ‘predict’ where crimes may occur and profile people as criminals, despite the EU’s apparent ban on so-called ‘predictive policing’ systems in the Artificial Intelligence Act. Read More
New Technology, Old Injustice: Data-driven discrimination and profiling in police and prisons in Europe
Police and criminal legal system authorities across Europe are increasingly using data-based systems and tools to ‘predict’ where crime will occur, to profile people as criminals and to assess the ‘risk’ of crime or criminality in the future. Read More
Protest in Ceuta commemorates “all those who, in search of a better life, met their death”
On 8 February, activists and campaigners once again gathered in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta to demand justice for the deaths of 14 people in 2014. The 14 drowned after Guardia Civil officers fired rubber bullets and tear gas at them as they tried to reach Spanish territory. The manifesto of the 'XII March for Dignity', supported by Statewatch and published here, calls for the Spanish state to "make reparations to their victims and establish mechanisms to safeguard lives at the borders." Read More
The politics behind the EU-Mauritania migration partnership
On 7 March, the EU and Mauritania signed a landmark “migration deal.” This January note from the European Commission makes the case for the deal to EU member state representatives in the Council. Dated 26 January, and therefore preceding both the public announcement of the deal on 7 February and its signing one month later, the note offers insight into the politics behind the migration partnership deal between Mauritania and the EU. Read More
Spain: Terrorism charges against protesters undermine “international human rights and democratic standards”
A letter signed by 20 organisations from across Europe, including Statewatch, calls for the dropping of terrorism charges filed by the Spanish authorities against 12 protesters. The 12 face the charges for organising a blockade of Barcelona's El Prat airport and the motorway at La Jonquera, near the border with France, in protest at the jailing of Catalan independence leaders. "The misuse of the accusation of terrorism is unjustifiable," the letter says. It goes on to say that it undermines "international human rights and democratic standards" and "has a chilling effect on civic engagement." Read More
Tarajal border deaths: 11th March for Dignity demands justice as new lawsuit opened
Last Saturday, the 11th 'March for Dignity' took place in Ceuta, marking the killing of 14 people who died by drowning on 6 February 2014 after being pushed back by Spanish border guards, tear-gassed and fired upon with rubber bullets. A fresh lawsuit against Spain was recently filed at the UN by one of the survivors. Read More
Externalisation of migration control: from the 1990s to the present
A talk given by Statewatch researcher Yasha Maccanico at the TransBorder Camp in Nantes, July 2022. Read More
Open Letter to the Spanish Presidency of the Council of the European Union: Ensuring the protection of fundamental rights on the AI Act
With the European Parliament and Council of the EU heading for secret trilogue negotiations on the Artificial Intelligence Act, an open letter signed by 61 organisations - including Statewatch - calls on the Spanish Presidency of the Council to make amendments to the proposal that will ensure the protection of fundamental rights. Read More