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 tracey

‘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

Cyril Smith child abuse inquiry ‘scrapped after his arrest’ – BBC News

‘An undercover police operation that gathered evidence of child abuse by Cyril Smith and other public figures was scrapped shortly after the MP was arrested, BBC Newsnight has been told.’

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BBC News, 16th March 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK surveillance laws need total overhaul, says landmark report – The Guardian

Posted March 13th, 2015 in intelligence services, investigatory powers, news, privacy by sally

‘Britain’s laws governing the intelligence agencies and mass surveillance require a total overhaul to make them more transparent, comprehensible and up to date, parliament’s intelligence and security committee (ISC) has said in a landmark report prompted by the revelations of Edward Snowden, the former US National Security Agency (NSA) contractor.’

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The Guardian, 12th March 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Access all areas? – New Law Journal

‘Overriding lawyer-client & confidential communications is incompatible with the rule of law, as Nicholas Griffin QC, Robert O’Sullivan QC & Gordon Nardell QC explain.’

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New Law Journal, 27th February 2015

Source: www.newlawjournal.co.uk

David Cameron orders new inquiry into treatment of Lee Rigby murderer – The Guardian

Posted February 27th, 2015 in armed forces, inquiries, intelligence services, murder, news, terrorism by tracey

‘The prime minister has ordered a new inquiry into claims the security services may have been complicit in the ill treatment of Michael Adebolajo, who went on to butcher a British soldier in a London street, it has emerged. The inquiry will be conducted by the intelligence services commissioner, Sir Mark Waller, an independent watchdog over the security services.’

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The Guardian, 26th February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Brusthom Ziamani: Teenager guilty of plot to behead soldier – BBC News

Posted February 20th, 2015 in armed forces, intelligence services, Islam, news, terrorism by sally

‘A teenager who was on his way to behead a British soldier with a 12in knife when he was arrested, has been found guilty of preparing a terrorist act.’

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BBC News, 19th February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

UK admits unlawfully monitoring legally privileged communications – The Guardian

‘The regime under which UK intelligence agencies, including MI5 and MI6, have been monitoring conversations between lawyers and their clients for the past five years is unlawful, the British government has admitted.’

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The Guardian, 18th February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

The Investigatory Powers Tribunal and the rule of law – UK Human Rights Blog

‘Despite being hailed as an ‘historic victory in the age-old battle for the right to privacy and free expression’, closer examination of a recent ruling by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (‘IPT’) reveals it to have been a hollow victory.’

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UK Human Rights Blog, 16th February 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Privacy watchdog launches ‘Did GCHQ spy on you?’ campaign to allow citizens to find out if they were under surveillance – The Independent

Posted February 17th, 2015 in data protection, human rights, intelligence services, news, privacy, tribunals by sally

‘A new campaign by human rights watchdog Privacy International could allow millions of citizens in Britain and elsewhere to have data that was collected on them deleted.’

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The Independent, 16th February 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK government issues first definition of computer hacking by spies – The Guardian

Posted February 9th, 2015 in codes of practice, computer crime, intelligence services, interception, news by sally

‘Code of practice sets out rules and safeguards surrounding use of computer hacking outside UK by security services.’

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The Guardian, 6th February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk