Archive
WWW: Issue 26-13
Welcome to our bi-weekly round up, containing all the important news, events, and resources we've come across since our last issue. Read More
Europol silences critics with expensive private law firm
A document obtained by Statewatch shows that Europol spent hundreds of thousands of Euros per year to hire outside lawyers–almost successfully silencing all critics. Read More
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
Turkey: Open letter calls for inclusive and comprehensive democratic reform and amnesty process
Together with 50+ others, Statewatch has signed an open letter to Turkish leaders calling for a reform and amnesty process in Turkey. Read More
10,000 police officers, 1,066 injured people, one trial: 1 October, neither forgetting nor impunity
Statewatch has joined over 100 organisations and individuals supporting Roger Español in his case against the officer and the commanders who mutilated him on 1 October 2017 with a rubber bullet. Read More
Joint letter to challenge the delay and limited transparency surrounding the establishment of the AI Act Advisory Forum
Statewatch has co-signed a letter to the Head of AI's office to flag concerns surrounding the delay and limited transparecny surrounding the establishment of the AI Advisory Forum. Read More
UK: ‘Radio Nick’: a private spy hired by the police
In October, a court case led to the exposure of a private spy who had been hired by the police to infilitrate multiple campaign groups for almost a decade, Nick Gratwick. A new report by the Undercover Research Group documents Gratwick's activities in the late 1990s and early 2000s in detail. The case highlights the lack of laws and regulations governing private intelligence agents. Read More
Data Protection Handbook on Asylum and Migration in Europe
The EU’s immigration and asylum system is governed by a complex set of rules. As well as being regularly amended by legislators, those rules are also subject to frequent interpretation (and re-interpretation) by the courts. The increasing use of digital technologies and databases for the enforcement of immigration and asylum law adds a further twist to this complicated scenario. Read More
UK: Police footage of protests can be held for decades
Police in London and across the UK regularly film protests, with multiple officers often deployed to do so. A response to a recent freedom of information request says that footage of “a public order event without targeted individuals” can be held “for a period of up to 6 years.” However, if it contains “intelligence” it can potentially be held for decades. Read More
UK: Peaceful protesters treated as terrorists as politicians fuel far-right activity
Thousands of police were deployed to London last weekend to arrest more than 500 peaceful protesters, as racist protests took place across the country. There is a relentless crackdown on foreign nationals, now including immediate deportation for any non-citizen convicted of a criminal offence. Critics warn that mainstream political rhetoric is legitimating and fuelling violent far-right activity. Read More