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From: Statewatch news and announcements
To: List Member
Sent: 23/01/01 14:33
Subject: NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS FROM STATEWATCH
Statewatch news and announcements - http://www.statewatch.org
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STATEWATCH CONFERENCE
Statewatching the new Europe 2001 - an international conference on the
state, civil liberties and secrecy, London, Saturday 30 June. The
conference, which also marks ten years of Statewatch, will have two
panels
of speakers (more than 20 from across Europe have agreed so far) and
workshops on national security & surveillance; racism in the EU;
immigration and asylum in the UK and EU; civil liberties in Britain and
Northern Ireland; policing, Schengen and EU databases; and freedom of
information and access to documents (#10 individuals and voluntary
groups;
#20 institutions and media; #5 unemployed). There are a limited number
of
places so early registration is recommended. List of speakers and
registration form: <http://www.statewatch.org/news/NEWSINBR/swconf.htm>.
STATEWATCH NEWS
<http://www.statewatch.org/news>
Spain and Italy pioneer a "common area of security and justice": Spain
and
Italy have taken the lead in EU plans to create a "European area of
justice" stemming from the Tampere Summit in October 1999, after signing
agreements regarding extradition procedures and judicial cooperation for
"serious crime". The article considers the possible implications for
defendants rights, dual criminality and trials in absentia.
"Secret plan to spy on all British phone calls": UK fronts to G8 plan
for
records to be kept for seven years: In December The Observer newspaper
published demands by the UK police, security and intelligence agencies
for
powers to have access to all phone calls, e-mails and internet activity
with records held and maintained for a period of seven years. Statewatch
has previously reported that the demands for a seven year retention
period
figured in the G8 High-tech Crime Group discussions, where the FBI and
its
counterparts argued that every country has to have the same, extensive
time-limit because otherwise it will be impossible to track
communications.
NEWS IN BRIEF
Report from Canadian Security and Intelligence Service:
"Anti-globalisation - a spreading phenomenon" (also includes article
from
Le Monde Diplomatique on the resulting debate: "Frightening the free
marketeers").
EU Charter of Fundamental Rights (full-text)
Council of Europe Convention on cybercrime attacked by civil society
groups (includes full-text of draft convention of 22.12.00)
Treaty of Nice (full-text of treaty titles on justice and home affairs
and
common foreign and security policy)
European Parliament Committee investigating Echelon meets in secret
FEATURES IN STATEWATCH BULLETIN VOL 10 NO. 6
(full list of contents: <http://www.statewatch.org.swbul2.html>)
UK/EU/G8: Seven year retention of all communications data proposed: in a
"safe and free society" everyone is a suspect: The UK National Criminal
Intelligence Service has called for all forms of communications
(phone-calls, mobile phone-calls, faxes, web sites and internet
activity)
to be recorded by telephone companies and internet service providers for
law enforcement agencies to access without any form of further
authorisation. Although apparently a UK initiative, the proposal has
featured in long-running discussions in EU and G8 working parties. It
appears that the "agencies" do not want new legislation causing public
discussion and debate and are seeking instead to create the
"communications data warehouse" through an industry code of practice and
"national security" exceptions in international data protection
legislation.
UK: The Hillsborough Trial: A case to answer: In 1989 96 people were
crushed to death before a football match at the Hillsborough stadium,
Sheffield. This feature analyses the private prosecution of the two
South
Yorkshire police superintendents brought by the bereaved families,
following a decade of campaigning (the Director of Public Prosecutions
having concluded that there was insufficient evidence against any
officer). Despite both men's acquittal after lengthy deliberations among
the jurors, "the families' pursuit of limited justice had not been
misconceived." [Based on Phil Scraton's recently updated book
"Hillsborough - the Truth".]
EU: Where now for accountability in the EU?: Considers the differences
between Europol's annual report to the public, and its "secret" report
to
the EU Council of Ministers. Concludes that there is no reason why the
latter should not be in the public domain, questioning the European
Police
Office's accountability to the public. Also looks at the Decision that
no
further Schengen Convention annual reports will be produced following
Schengen's incorporation into the EU framework. This will reduce
accountability in Schengen-based international cooperation on policing
(including cross-border pursuits and surveillance), internal border
checks, movement of persons, drug trafficking, judicial cooperation and
use of the SIS.
EU: Too much information creates confusion: According to Loyola de
Palacio, Vice-President of the European Commission "obliging
institutions
to divulge internal notes, in many cases, would only cause confusion
among
citizens.. sometimes an increase in misinformation results from an
excess
of information". Such a derisory approach to freedom of information and
civil society is currently typifying the Brussels institutions approach
to
the drafting of a new code of public access to EU documents. The article
examines the latest developments around the new code.
UK: CoE "cybercrime convention": legitimising surveillance: The proposed
Council of Europe Convention on cybercrime is a legally-binding
international treaty aimed at harmonising criminal law and procedural
aspects of "offending behaviour against computer systems, networks or
data." As drafted, the convention will empower law enforcement agencies
to
conduct extensive surveillance of private communications, with very low
standards for accountability and judicial control.
Online-subscription available from just #10 -
<http://www.statewatch.org.onlinesub.htm>
Statewatch: monitoring the state and civil liberties in Europe
e-mail: <[log in to unmask]>
tel: 0044-(0)20-88021882
fax: 0044-(0)20-88801727
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