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Seven applicants sought review from the European Court of Human Rights of the UK Investigatory Powers Tribunal’s refusal to hear their challenges to the UK intelligence services mass intercpetion practices. Their legal action was a result of PI’s campaign and support

PI intervened to emphasise the legal standards applicable to redress mechanisms available to victims of unlawful surveillance

PI, together with Article19 and EFF intervened to outline how unrestricted surveillance of communications data interferences with the right to privacy and threatens freedom of expression.

Human rights defenders are continuously at risk of violence, intimidation and surveillance as a direct consequence of the work they do, with women or those opposing large corporations bearing the brunt of these forms of repression.

Privacy International spoke to four activists based in Colombia, Indonesia, Mexico and South Africa to learn more about their understanding and experiences of surveillance. Their testimonies illustrate how the promises that came with innovation and the use of new technologies have not been enjoyed by all equally, and how some groups in society - such as human rights defenders - have experienced the impact of surveillance and the exploitation of data by governments and companies more severely than others.

Below is an outline of the main issues that these four activists brought to our attention which reflect the concerns raised previously by other organisations and HRDs across the world.

Powerful countries encourage and enable other governments to deploy advanced surveillance capabilities without adequate safeguards.

From facial recognition to social media monitoring, from remote hacking to the use of mobile surveillance equipment called 'IMSI catchers', UK police forces are using an ever-expanding array of surveillance tools to spy on us as we go about our everyday lives.

PI challenges police forces' refusal to disclose information on mobile phone surveillance.

Privacy International filed an intervention at the Colombian Constitutional court challenging the mass surveillance provisions contained in the Colombian Police Code.

A case that reached the Grand Chamber of the European Court of Human Rights analysing the UK’s mass interception program, first exposed by whistleblower Edward Snowden in 2013, relating to people’s rights to privacy and freedom of expression. 

PI challenges the acquisition, use, retention, disclosure, storage and deletion of bulk personal datasets and bulk communications data by the UK Security and Intelligence Agencies.