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Amnesty Responds to CIA’s Denial of Former Vice President Cheney’s Request for Documents’ Release

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

In response to today’s news from the Central Intelligence Agency that it was denying former Vice President Cheney’s request for the public release of two memos–on the basis that the documents are currently the subject of pending litigation, including a suit filed jointly under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) by Amnesty International USA, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice–the organizations released the following statements:

Tom Parker, counterterrorism expert with Amnesty International USA:

“The fact that Amnesty International USA, the Center for Constitutional Rights, and the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice have submitted Freedom of Information Act requests to secure the release of these documents should obviously not be used as a pretext to withhold them. It is unusual for Amnesty International to find itself on the same side of an argument as the former Vice President Dick Cheney, but we welcome his late conversion to the value of transparency in government. The CIA should comply with the suit, stop stalling and make these documents public at the earliest possible opportunity.”

Gitanjali Gutierrez, attorney for the Center for Constitutional Rights:

“A year ago under the Bush administration, the CIA argued that disclosure of this document and others would jeopardize national security. Cheney’s self-serving request now to share the information with the public makes clear that the CIA has been using pretexts to withhold information vital to the public debate about the CIA’s torture program. The agency should commit to telling the public what we demand to know.”
Margaret Satterthwaite, faculty director of the Center for Human Rights and Global Justice at NYU School of Law:

“Like Dick Cheney, we call on the CIA to immediately release these documents. Unlike him, however, we seek their disclosure to further transparency and oversight of an unlawful program. The CIA’s arguments of a year ago–that the documents could not be released because they pertained to an ongoing program–are no longer valid since the president ordered the program closed in January. The American public deserves to have the full details about this program and the CIA should not block the public’s attempt to learn the facts.”

Have Your Say: Amnesty Responds to CIA’s Denial of Former Vice President Cheney’s Request for Documents’ Release
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Watchdog wants police to limit CCTV demand on pubs

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Tough new government guidelines are to be demanded to stop police making unfair requests to pubs and clubs around the use of CCTV.

Privacy watchdog The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) is to make the plea in response to the government’s plans for a mandatory code of practice for the industry.

The ICO fears police are using licensing conditions to make pubs install CCTV or identity scanners, which can provide information on their drinkers.

Under the new mandatory code of practice consulation, the government avoided plans to make CCTV a blanket condition for all pubs, but councils will be able to force outlets in trouble-spots to operate surveillance if it feels it is needed.

Deputy information commissioner David Smith said strict new rules to reign in police demands were still required and urged clarity in the code.

 

“What we are worried about is that businesses are being forced into gathering information for police and the law enforcement agencies,” he said.

“The question is whether we are going too far and is this surveillance at a level that is unacceptable that doesn’t justify the benefits. Pubs and clubs should not become information gathering sources for police.”

Smith said the ICO wanted some “very clear guidance” on how far police can go. “We wonder how many landlords have simply gone along with police demands when there weren’t any proper grounds to do so,” he added.

An ICO spokeswoman later said: “There needs to an absolute reason why CCTV or ID scanners need to be in place. We understand that CCTV can serve an important purpose, but we don’t want licensees to feel they have to have CCTV to have a licence.”

Earlier this year, Islington licensee Nick Gibson won a battle with police not to have CCTV at his newly-opening pub on the basis it would interfere with his customer’s civil liberties.

The public consultation on the code of practice close on August 5.

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Google Street View causes another stir

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

The roving eye of Google’s Street View camera has been out and about in Cheltenham, UK.

Residents spotted the van in the area this week, capturing images for the website’s extensive mapping programme.

The site features photographs of every street in towns which have been “mapped” by Google’s mysterious-looking cars with blacked-out windows.

People living in St Mark’s had mixed views on whether or not they were in favour of their homes, gardens – and even themselves – being caught on camera.

Jess Cave, who lives in Spenser Road, gave it the thumbs up.
She said: “I think it’s only a bit of fun so I don’t really mind. I don’t feel like I’m being spied on and I’m not bothered by it.

“I’m sure I’ll be checking it out when it goes online.”

Student Cindie Taylor, who is looking to move into the area, said it would help her to look at houses.

She said: “I love it and I’ll be checking it out when they put it up on the web.

“I’ll be able to see what places are like when I’m looking for somewhere to live.”

Pensioner Margaret Slack was also in favour. She said: “I’m not bothered at all by it. I’ve got nothing to hide so why not.”
However Cheralyn Rendall, who lives in Shakespeare Road, said: “It’s an invasion of privacy. It just seems pointless. I can’t really understand the reason behind it.

“I’ve got young kids and I wouldn’t want them to be looked at on the internet through this.”

Lucie Bennett, who also lives in Spenser Road, said: “If my daughter was out playing in the garden and it caught her on camera I wouldn’t like that.

“I think they should tell people beforehand what they’re going to do rather than just turn up when they choose.”

Pensioner Michael Poppleton said: “It’s an invasion of privacy and if they caught me on camera I’d be asking them to remove it.”
Beverley Fennel, who lives just off Shakespeare Road, agreed.

She said: “I’m not against CCTV for people’s safety but this seems like too much of an invasion of privacy.

“It’s not going to really benefit anyone, so what’s the point? People have a right to do what they want in their homes and gardens without a camera coming past and taking a picture.”

The system allows people to search for 360-degree pictures of “virtual” streets.

It’s not yet known when the coverage will be complete and available to view online.

Residents concerned over privacy can ask for their faces to be blurred out, via the Street View website.

Have Your Say: Google Street View causes another stir
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Who’s Watching You?

Thursday, May 28th, 2009

Last Monday the BBC broadcast the first in a new three-part series called ‘Who’s Watching You?’ UK readers can view the show (until next Monday) by using the BBC’s iPlayer facility.

In his BBC blog, series producer Mike Rudd says: “Cheaper and more advanced technology has prompted a massive expansion in surveillance – not just through CCTV, listening devices, tracking, but also through all the personal data that’s collected on every one of us.

“As the Information Commissioner Richard Thomas says, we leave an “electronic footprint” behind us almost wherever we go – with every click of the mouse, every phone call, every time we use a credit card. And that information just grows and grows, allowing a more and more detailed and intrusive picture to be constructed of how we each live our lives.

“The paradox is that there is a great deal of support for things like CCTV. We all benefit from better crime detection and from easier and cheaper services. But we know surprisingly little about the depth and breadth of modern surveillance, or about the potential problems when things go wrong.”
A lot to offer
The show is an ‘authored’ piece, with presenter Richard Bilton offering his views and opinions on the issues raised – which included council misuse of RIPA powers, ANPR use by police, data loss, and more.

And because it’s an authored investigation, it employs ever-present, irritating, faux-degraded imitations of CCTV footage, and annoying, constantly moving, constantly zooming and re-focusing cameras. We get it, Mike, ok? It’s about CCTV. Relax.

But despite these stylistic reservations, I think programmes such as this one have a lot to teach the security industry about the actual concerns of the public. Investigations into the ‘surveillance state’ are often dismissed by the industry as alarmist and ill-informed, but the very fact that programmes such as this one are being made – to express the concerns of a sizable proportion of the public – mean the image of the surveillance industry could do with some improving.

If the security industry is to be effective in preventing crime, terror and other incidents, and in investigating and prosecuting those that do take place, it needs the trust of the public behind it.
Confusing messages
As Bilton himself said on Monday, the British public sends out confusing messages about surveillance. “We embrace it, and want more, not less,” he said. And we allow cameras deeper into our private lives than authorities would (currently) dare go.

But there is a constant concern about the potential for a ‘police state’. And that is amplified when cameras and surveillance methods become intrusive.

This can be simply an irritation. But there’s potential for it to be much worse, unless it is regulated and controlled effectively.

We’re always told “if you’ve got nothing to hide, you’ve got nothing to worry about.” Which is fine if you know where you stand. But what if the goalposts shift? What if – perish the thought – a government which you don’t agree with, with different notions of what ‘nothing to hide’ might mean – comes to power?
Protected from protectors
There needs to be a system in place to ensure surveillance – and more specifically, surveillance databases – cannot be used against the people they are meant to protect.

Like it or not, the security industry has a responsibility to ensure that the use of its equipment and technologies are safeguarded through effective and stringent privacy and data protection legislation and enforceable standards.

And for its own good – for our own good – it needs to be seen to be advocating privacy, care with databases, and individual rights. It’s not only good PR, it’s for the greater good.

At the close of the first episode, Bilton says he seen no evidence so far to support ‘Big Brother’ theories. But, he says: “I think the march of surveillance is pretty much unstoppable. And if that’s the case, I think we need more protection, better regulations, and stronger safeguards.”

Have Your Say: Who’s Watching You?
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Related News

• Amnesty International responds to CIA’s denial of Cheney’s request for documents’ release
• Revealed: Pentagon’s secret prisons, legal loopholes and CIA ‘ghost’ detainees
• Ireland accused of failing on flight rendition
• Amnesty calls on Afghan government to halt executions
• Amnesty claims its website is being blocked

This entry was posted on Thursday, May 28th, 2009 at 9:22 am and is filed under Contributions & Guests . You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.