Privacy campaigners win concessions in UK surveillance report – The Guardian

Posted July 14th, 2015 in intelligence services, investigatory powers, news, privacy, reports by sally

‘Privacy campaigners have secured significant concessions in a key report into surveillance by the British security agencies published on Tuesday. The 132-page report, A Democratic Licence To Operate, which Nick Clegg commissioned last year in the wake of revelations by the US whistleblower Edward Snowden, acknowledges the importance of privacy concerns.’

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The Guardian, 14th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs call for guidance on prosecuting UK spies over US drone strikes – The Guardian

Posted July 8th, 2015 in intelligence services, media, news, reports, whistleblowers by sally

‘A group of MPs is urging the director of public prosecutions to publish guidance for police and prosecutors on how to handle allegations that British spies shared intelligence that led to covert US drone strikes.’

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The Guardian, 7th July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Government should address core Libya rendition allegations, judge rules – The Guardian

‘The government should address the core allegations of 12 claimants who say they were kidnapped, tortured, subject to control orders or tricked into travelling to Libya where they were detained or mistreated, a high court judge has said.’

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The Guardian, 1st July 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Murderer seeks to overturn ban on secret evidence going to Strasbourg – The Guardian

Posted June 23rd, 2015 in evidence, human rights, intelligence services, media, news, Supreme Court, trials by sally

‘A convicted murderer who claims he is the victim of a miscarriage of justice is seeking to overturn a ban on secret evidence about the security services being disclosed to European judges. The supreme court’s hearing of the unprecedented case of Wang Yam could add to the strain on the UK’s relationship with the European court of human rights (ECHR).’

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The Guardian, 22nd June 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

GCHQ spied on two human rights bodies – Daily Telegraph

Posted June 23rd, 2015 in data protection, human rights, intelligence services, news, tribunals by sally

‘GCHQ spied on two human rights organisations, it has emerged, and breached its own internal policies in how it handled the information.’

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Daily Telegraph, 22nd June 2015

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

What to look out for in Britain’s new surveillance bill – The Guardian

‘The government intends wholesale reform, but will it perpetuate a dark history of invasion of privacy or follow the US example, and end invasive surveillance?’

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The Guardian, 5th June 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legal challenge against Data Retention and Investigatory Powers Act reaches High Court – OUT-LAW.com

‘A legal challenge fronted by two UK MPs against communications surveillance laws passed last year has reached the High Court.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 4th June 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

Emergency surveillance law faces legal challenge by MPs – BBC News

‘The High Court is to hear a legal challenge to the government’s emergency surveillance law brought by two MPs.’

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BBC News, 4th June 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Terror trial collapses after fears of deep embarrassment to security services – The Guardian

Posted June 2nd, 2015 in intelligence services, news, terrorism, trials by sally

‘The prosecution of a Swedish national accused of terrorist activities in Syria has collapsed at the Old Bailey after it became clear Britain’s security and intelligence agencies would have been deeply embarrassed had a trial gone ahead, the Guardian can reveal.’

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The Guardian, 1st June 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Surveillance and privacies – OUP Blog

‘In its recent report, Privacy and Security: A modern and transparent legal framework, the Parliamentary Intelligence and Security Committee pondered on the scale of public concern about digital surveillance:

“It is worth noting that this debate does not seem to arise in the context of the Agencies intercepting letters, or listening to people’s home or office landline calls. So what is it about the internet that makes it different? For many, the free and open nature of the internet represents liberty and democracy, and they consider that these values should not be compromised for the sake of detecting a minority who wish to use it for harmful purposes.”’

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OUP Blog, 28th May 2015

Source: http://blog.oup.com

The government’s data law – an attack on encryption? – BBC News

‘Overdue modernisation of the way the authorities monitor criminals and terrorists – or a Snooper’s Charter eroding our basic liberties? The proposal outlined in the Queen’s Speech to “modernise the law on communications data” will divide opinion. But prepare for another long battle over the way that law is framed and the balance it strikes between privacy and public safety.’

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BBC News, 27th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Queen’s Speech: New online data terror powers proposed – BBC News

‘Planned new laws to give police and spies stronger powers to “target the online communications” of terrorist suspects are in the Queen’s Speech.’

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BBC News, 27th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Zakariya Ashiq trial: Guilty of trying to join Islamic State – BBC News

Posted May 27th, 2015 in intelligence services, Islam, news, terrorism by sally

‘A British man has been convicted of trying to join Islamic State in Syria.’

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BBC News, 26th May 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Legal experts call for greater scrutiny of surveillance laws – The Guardian

‘An alliance of prominent academics have signed a letter to the government warning against any expansions of state surveillance without the full involvement of parliament and the public.’

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The Guardian, 26th May 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Intelligence agencies can hack computers without breaking UK laws – OUT-LAW.com

‘The UK government changed the law to enable intelligence agencies to engage in computer hacking without being said to be in breach of the Computer Misuse Act, privacy campaigners have claimed. The government has said the powers were already in existence and that the reforms merely serve to clarify the legal position.’

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OUT-LAW.com, 18th May 2015

Source: www.out-law.com

GCHQ conducted illegal surveillance, investigatory powers tribunal rules – The Guardian

‘GCHQ, Britain’s national security surveillance agency, has been ordered to destroy legally privileged communications it unlawfully collected from a Libyan rendition victim.’

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The Guardian, 29th April 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK intelligence tribunal to rule on surveillance case – The Guardian

‘A tribunal that hears complaints against the UK intelligence services is due to rule in a major state surveillance case on the confidentiality of conversations between lawyers and their clients.’

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The Guardian, 29th April 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MoD accused of refusing former detainee Yunus Rahmatullah justice – The Guardian

Posted March 31st, 2015 in intelligence services, interception, news, privilege, torture by sally

‘The government has refused to give an undertaking not to take advantage of any intercepted communications between a former detainee, who is suing the Ministry of Defence, and his lawyers.’

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The Guardian, 30th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Jail for thief who tried to sell secret nuclear submarine documents – The Guardian

Posted March 26th, 2015 in burglary, confidentiality, documents, intelligence services, news, sentencing, theft by sally

‘A factory worker who stole restricted documents about British nuclear submarines and tried to sell them to an eastern European government has been jailed for four and a half years.’

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The Guardian, 25th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Men allegedly tortured by UK troops plan to go to court over report – BBC News

Posted March 20th, 2015 in armed forces, detention, intelligence services, Iraq, news, torture by sally

‘Lawyers acting for two men who were jailed for 10 years without trial and say they were tortured after being seized by British troops in Iraq, plan to take the body responsible for investigating the case to court, claiming it is failing to seek potentially vital evidence from the US.’

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The Guardian, 19th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk