European Court Rules UK Gov’t Mass Surveillance ‘Violates Human Rights’

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The UK’s mass surveillance program is in violation of human rights, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled. The challenge was instigated following the revelations from US whistle-blower Edward Snowden.

The UK’s mass surveillance program is in violation of human rights, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled. The challenge was instigated following the revelations from US whistle-blower Edward Snowden.

UK government agencies and police have the most sweeping surveillance powers in the western world, with a whole range of tools for snooping and hacking by security services unmatched by any other country in western Europe or even the US.

The court stated there is “insufficient oversight” and “inadequate safeguards” over the government’s ‘bulk interception’ of communications. Furthermore, it found the UK “was not in accordance with the law” over it’s obtaining of communications data from service providers.

In an extensive condemnation of UK’s protection of human rights, the judges also deemed there to be “insufficient safeguards” for journalistic sources under government’s surveillance policy.

Aspects of the policy, the court declared, breached two articles of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) – the right to private life (Article 8) and the right to free expression (Article 10).

However, the court ruled that information sharing with foreign governments didn’t break the ECHR, ruling there was no evidence of abuse or significant shortcomings.

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RT reports: The landmark case, brought forward by Amnesty International and the civil liberties campaign group Big Brother Watch, among others, was instigated by the leaks of Edward Snowden. NSA whistle-blower, Snowden, revealed the extent of British and American surveillance and intelligence practices in 2013.

Following the leaks, the complainants suspected that British and US spy agencies may have intercepted their electronic communications.

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Corey Stoughton, an advocacy director at human rights group Liberty, described the ruling as “a major victory for those of us who think there ought to be balance in the government’s ability to engage in surveillance.”

During an interview with the Guardian, Snowden warned that the practices of UK’s Government Communications Headquarters (GCHQ) were “worse than the US.”

Subsequently, Britain has changed their surveillance laws since the legal challenge began, the government claims that the new legislation contains more privacy protections.

Baxter Dmitry

Baxter Dmitry

Baxter Dmitry is a writer at The People's Voice. He covers politics, business and entertainment. Speaking truth to power since he learned to talk, Baxter has travelled in over 80 countries and won arguments in every single one. Live without fear.
Email: baxter@thepeoplesvoice.tv
Baxter Dmitry

4 Comments

  1. its the spying they do over the internet that is peoples greatest threat especially with mobile phones.They who hide behind corporate trading names and government bureaucratic titles and do “their work” secretly and deviously .

    • All done by and for the NWO Nazi cabal. The royal family, Merkel and Macron are all members and are selling out their countries and citizens for money and their evil agenda.

      • NWO Nazi cabal? Hitler’s rejection of the League of Nations is Legendary. And ARTICLE 62 of the ECHR only respects treaties, conventions or declarations by special agreement. So The United Nations Convention against Transnational Organized Crime 55/25 is a problem for pedophiles, drug dealers, murderers, prostitutes etc. and the NWO?

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