Police spies case: women lose fight for public human rights hearing – The Guardian

“A group of women who are taking legal action against police chiefs over claims they were tricked into forming long-term relationships with undercover spies have lost their fight to have part of their case heard in public.”

Full story

The Guardian, 5th November 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Legislation strengthens independent oversight of undercover police operations – Home Office

Posted November 4th, 2013 in investigatory powers, news, police, professional conduct by sally

“Policing Minister announces the government’s intention to increase the independent supervision of undercover operations.”

Full story

Home Office, 31st October 2012

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Schedule 7: A Necessary Evil? – Garden Court Chambers Blog

Posted November 1st, 2013 in bills, immigration, investigatory powers, news, stop and search, terrorism by sally

“Ali Naseem Bajwa QC and Terry McGuinness examine port stops carried out under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000.”

Full story

Garden Court Chambers Blog,

Source: www.gclaw.wordpress.com

SFO could snoop on communications to uncover evidence of corruption, says director – OUT-LAW.com

“The director of the Serious Fraud Office (SFO) has warned that the agency may use powers of surveillance to uncover evidence of corruption within corporates.”

Full story

OUT-LAW.com, 25th October 2013

Source: www.out-law.com

Another hall of mirrors human rights story from the Telegraph – Daily Telegraph

“Yesterday saw another poor piece of human rights reporting from the Telegraph, again from Home Affairs Correspondent David Barrett. Strasbourg human rights court threatens key counter-terrorism powers. It is a typical piece of hall-of-mirrors reporting; all of the basic elements are there but presented in a distorted and inaccurate way.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 27th October 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

PACE Codes A, B, C 2013 – Home Office

Posted October 23rd, 2013 in codes of practice, detention, investigatory powers, police, stop and search by tracey

“PACE Codes A, B, C 2013”

PACE Code A

PACE Code B

PACE Code C

Home Office, 23rd october 2013

Source: www.gov.uk/home-office

Surveillance tribunal may allow publicity – The Guardian

“The new president of the court that examines complaints about the intelligence services and government surveillance has indicated he may publish advance notice of its public hearings for the first time.”

Full story

The Guardian, 14th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

New police anti-terror powers could be unlawful, say MPs – The Independent

“Intrusive anti-terrorism powers that give police the right to detain travellers for up to six hours without suspicion, as well as download data from their phones and laptops, are unlawful, a group of MPs has warned.”

Full story

The Independent, 11th October 2013

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Schedule 7 powers too intrusive, says committee – The Guardian

“Stop and search powers at ports and airports – used to detain the partner of the Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald for nine hours during the summer – are too intrusive, according to a parliamentary committee.”

Full story

The Guardian, 11th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

GCHQ accused of monitoring privileged emails between lawyers and clients – The Guardian

“GCHQ is probably intercepting legally privileged communications between lawyers and their clients, according to a detailed claim filed on behalf of eight Libyans involved in politically sensitive compensation battles with the UK.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th October 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Can DNA Sample Requests Be a Breach of the ECHR? – Criminal Law and Justice Weekly

“Is requiring a convicted person to come in to give a DNA sample a breach of the ECHR? Michael Zander considers the first case to look at the question.”

Full story

Criminal Law and Justice Weekly, 5th October 2013

Source: www.criminallawandjustice.co.uk

UK’s surveillance laws need overhaul, says former defence secretary – The Guardian

“Laws used by Britain’s spy agencies to justify mass surveillance and interception techniques must be reviewed to ensure they have kept pace with ‘incredible changes’ in communications, one of the country’s foremost intelligence experts has said.”

Full story

The Guardian, 26th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

No breach of privacy to request DNA sample from ex con – UK Human Rights Blog

“The High Court has ruled that it is not a breach of the right to private life to request DNA samples from those who were convicted of serious offences before it became commonplace to take samples for the production of DNA profiles for the investigation of crime.”

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 24th September 2013

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Ex-prisoner fails to halt police DNA-collection programme – The Guardian

“A former prisoner has failed in a legal challenge that could have forced police to destroy thousands of DNA samples collected from those convicted of serious crimes before 1994.”

Full story

The Guardian, 24th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Police face court over refusal to hand over reports on anti-Muslim ‘bias’ – The Guardian

“Scotland Yard is facing court action next week after refusing to hand over the results of investigations it was ordered to conduct into claims that it used counter-terrorism powers to discriminate against and harass innocent Muslims.”

Full story

The Guardian, 13th September 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Soca wields new powers to freeze global assets of super-rich foreigners – The Independent

“The embattled Serious Organised Crime Agency heads into fresh controversy on Tuesday as it emerges it has won sweeping new powers allowing it to freeze assets of super-rich foreigners suspected of fraud.”

Full story

The Independent,

Source: www.independent.co.uk

UK terror law watchdog promises rapid report on David Miranda detention – The Guardian

“Britain’s anti-terror laws watchdog is to investigate whether laws were used “lawfully, appropriately and humanely” when police detained David Miranda at Heathrow airport for nine hours.”

Full story

The Guardian, 22nd August 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

David Miranda detention: Lawyers seek judicial review – BBC News

“Lawyers representing a Brazilian man detained at Heathrow airport have begun judicial review proceedings against the Home Office and the police.”

Full story

BBC News, 22nd August 2013

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Undercover spy allegations cast campaigner verdict in doubt – The Guardian

“An official body has called into question the criminal conviction of a political campaigner after allegations that an undercover spy gave false evidence under oath during his prosecution.”

Full story

The Guardian, 1st August 2013

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Regina (S and others) v Chief Constable of the British Transport Police – WLR Daily

Regina (S and others) v Chief Constable of the British Transport Police [2013] EWHC 2189 (Admin); [2013] WLR (D) 312

“The Divisional Court gave guidance on the practice to be followed on an application for a search warrant under the special procedure in section 9 of and Schedule 1 to the Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984, and reiterated the information required to be supplied by a constable to the court on such an application, including the need to give full and frank disclosure.”

WLR Daily, 23rd July 2013

Source: www.iclr.co.uk