The UK’s mass surveillance program is in violation of human rights, the European Court of Human Rights has declared. The challenge was instigated following the revelations from US whistle-blower Edward Snowden.
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.
Well, that is one reason some of the Conservatives wanted out of Europe – so they could abolish the Human Rights Act.
h/t keybored