Judges to rule on police requests for journalists’ phone records – Daily Telegraph

‘Police to be told they need to obtain the permission of a judge if they want to obtain details of a journalist’s phone calls or emails.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 21st February 2015

Source: www.telegraph.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.’

Full story

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.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 16th February 2015

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

GCHQ intelligence sharing ‘was unlawful’, tribunal rules – BBC News

Posted February 6th, 2015 in human rights, intelligence services, investigatory powers, news, privacy by sally

‘UK agency GCHQ’s sharing of intelligence gathered by US mass surveillance programmes was unlawful, a tribunal has ruled.’

Full story

BBC News, 6th February 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Police will need judge’s permission to access journalists’ phone and email records – The Guardian

‘Police will be forced to seek the permission of a judge if they want to retrieve the phone and email records of journalists, after the prime minister’s snooping watchdog found that 19 police forces made more than 600 applications to uncover confidential sources in the past three years.’

Full story

The Guardian, 4th February 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Mass surveillance is fundamental threat to human rights, says European report – The Guardian

Posted January 27th, 2015 in EC law, human rights, interception, investigatory powers, news, privacy, reports by sally

‘Europe’s top rights body has said mass surveillance practices are a fundamental threat to human rights and violate the right to privacy enshrined in European law.’

Full story

The Guardian, 26th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

CCTV: Too many cameras useless, warns surveillance watchdog Tony Porter – BBC News

‘Too many CCTV cameras are ineffective and useless, the government’s surveillance commissioner has warned.’

Full story

BBC News, 26th January 2015

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Lawyers join forces with journalists and social workers to protest against government snooping

Posted January 20th, 2015 in consultations, intelligence services, investigatory powers, news, police, privacy by sally

‘The Law Society and Bar Council have joined forces with the British Association of Social Workers and National Union of Journalists to form the ‘Professionals for Information Privacy Coalition’, and express their concern over the controls in place on how the government snoops on professionals.’

Full story

Legal Futures, 20th January 2015

Source: www.legalfutures.co.uk

Information commissioner calls for protection of private data amid calls for ‘snooper’s charter’ – The Independent

Posted January 15th, 2015 in data protection, intelligence services, investigatory powers, news, privacy by sally

‘The information commissioner has called for the establishment of a US-style agency to defend the privacy of citizens amid growing calls for the reintroduction of the “snoopers’ charter”.’

Full story

The Independent, 13th January 2015

Source: www.independent.co.uk

A worrying new anti-terror law is sneaking through Parliament – The Guardian

‘As the world’s press and public stand vigil in support of Charlie Hebdo and the families of the victims of Wednesday’s attack, we wake this morning to reports that our security services are under pressure and seeking new powers. The spectre of the Communications Data Bill is again evoked. These reports mirror renewed commitments yesterday to new counter-terrorism measures for the EU and in France.’

Full story

The Guardian, 9th January 2015

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Declaration 2014: Legal Professional Privilege is vital to a fair trial – The Bar Council

‘Legal chiefs and academics today demanded new laws to stop police and security services from spying on meetings between lawyers and their clients.’

Full press release

The Bar Council, 9th December 2014

Source: www.barcouncil.org.uk

Proceeds of Crime Act 2002: codes of practice consultation – Attorney General’s Office

‘A consultation on a revised code of practice that governs the use of investigatory powers in the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002.’

Full press release

Attorney General’s Office, 12th December 2014

Source: www.gov.uk/ago

Cracking intercepts: the war on terror and difficulties with Human Rights – UK Human Rights Blog

‘This is a fascinating case, not just on the facts or merits but because it is generated by two of the major catalysts of public law litigation: the government’s duty to look after the security of its citizens, and the rapid outpacing of surveillance law by communications technology. Anyone who has seen The Imitation Game, a film loosely based on the biography of Alan Turing, will appreciate the conflicting currents at the core of this case: the rights of an individual to know, and foresee, what the limits of his freedom are, and the necessity to conceal from the enemy how much we know about their methods. Except the Turing film takes place in official wartime, whereas now the state of being at “war” has taken on a wholly different character.’

Full story

UK Human Rights Blog, 11th December 2014

Source: www.ukhumanrightsblog.com

Judicial reviews: a decision that’s best left to judges – The Guardian

‘The justice secretary wants to restrict access to judicial reviews, but judging the lawfulness of executive action should not be a matter for the executive.’

Full story

The Guardian, 10th December 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

MPs get go-ahead to challenge snooping law – The Guardian

‘Two MPs have been given the green light to legally challenge the government over the introduction of legislation which gives police and security services access to people’s phone and internet records.’

Full story

The Guardian, 8th December 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

UK mass surveillance laws do not breach human rights, tribunal rules – The Guardian

‘Britain’s legal regime governing mass surveillance of the internet by intelligence agencies does not violate human rights, a tribunal has ruled.’

Full story

The Guardian, 5th December 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Pre-charge bail: Everything you need to know about the campaign to close a ‘legal limbo’ loophole – Daily Telegraph

Posted December 2nd, 2014 in bail, evidence, investigatory powers, news, police, time limits by sally

‘Former ministers, MPs and lawyers have signed a letter to The Telegraph demanding reform of the controversial pre-charge bail measure. Here’s what you need to know.’

Full story

Daily Telegraph, 2nd December 2014

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Internet data plan back on political agenda – BBC News

‘A law forcing firms to hand details to police identifying who was using a computer or mobile phone at a given time is to be outlined by Theresa May.’

Full story

BBC News, 23rd November 2014

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Investing in crime fighting technology: accountability versus privacy rights – Halsbury’s Law Exchange

‘The London Met has recently indicated that officers will be fitted with body cameras. Other wearable technology such as wi-fi enabled clothing that allows real-time tracking, vital sign monitoring and constant communications is being trialled in the US.’

Full story

Halsbury’s Law Exchange, 21st November 2014

Source: www.halsburyslawexchange.co.uk

Police face legal action for snooping on journalists – The Guardian

Posted November 21st, 2014 in data protection, investigatory powers, media, news, police, stop and search by tracey

‘A group of journalists has launched a legal action against Scotland Yard after discovering that the Metropolitan police has been recording their professional activities on a secret database designed to monitor so-called domestic extremists.’

Full story

The Guardian, 20th November 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk