NGOs Challenge Mass Surveillance In European Court Builds Pressure Against GCHQ

As James Bond-spying cases continue in the United Kingdom, it’s no surprise that a group of leading human rights NGOs would pressure the GCHQ to finally admit to its wrongdoings and accept reforms.

Privacy International, Bytes for All, Amnesty International, Liberyt and other civil liberties groups have filed a case against the UK GCHQ to overturn a ruling by Britain’s surveillance court the IPT or Investigatory Powers Tribunal.

The IPT found that GCHQ’s Tempora program, which functions to monitor web traffic in Britain using fibre optic cables is entirely lawful. IPT also found that British and American intelligence sharing service Prism is also legal.

NGOs appealed the IPTs ruling to the European Court, which states that the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) complies with the duty of the UK Government to protect its citizens human rights.

The European Court of Human Rights will consider RIPA’s violation of Article 14 of the Convention, which bans illegal discrimination.

The GCHQ said in response to the appeal:

"We completely reject the assertions made in the press release from Amnesty International and others, which do not reflect the judgments of the Investigatory Powers Tribunal. The IPT was clear in its December judgment that the legal regime is lawful, and that GCHQ does not seek to carry out mass surveillance. The government will be vigorously defending this case at the European Court of Human Rights,"