Libertades Civiles
Alemania, Irlanda y España muy por detrás en el tema de la transparencia policial
Irlanda es el único país de Europa en el que la policía está excluida de la ley de acceso y libertad de información. En Alemania, no todas las fuerzas de seguridad están incluidas en la normativa sobre transparencia, mientras que España es el único gran país de la UE en la que no hay una ley de acceso a la información y, por tanto, la opinión pública no tiene el derecho a obtener información de las fuerzas de seguridad del Estado.
David Goldberg presenta la foto: El Derecho a Saber: Europa y la Policía
Photo: el Centro para la Libertad de Información
Promoting access to information for defence of civil liberties and human rights
In the past decade, the European Union and its member states have introduced a large number of measures which are designed to prevent and combat terrorism. These measures include communications data retention, biometric passports, DNA collection and CCTV surveillance. In the post-September 11th climate it has proven remarkably easy for governments to advance and adopt measures which impact on fundamental rights including the rights to privacy, freedom of association and expression, detention without trial, and freedom of movement.
If members of the public are to monitor these new measures to ensure that they are proportionate and necessary, it is imperative that there be access to information. Access Info and Statewatch have identified, however, that it is difficult to obtain significant information about planning for and implementation of many of these measures.
Commitment to Review Counter-Terror Laws in Europe
On Wednesday 7 October Access Info joined 40 organisations in sending an open letter to the Council of Europe's new Secretary General Thorbjoern Jagland calling for follow up to the commitment made by member states at a meeting held in Reykjavik in May 2009 to review the impact of counter-terror laws on freedom of expression and access to information.
We have since received news that the letter has been received and is on the agenda of the next meeting of the Council of Europe's Steering Committee on Media and New Communication Services (CDMC) on 20-23 October.
Letter Council of Europe 
Letter Council of Europe 
Letter Council of Europe
Access Info will continue to press for action on the promises made in Reykjavik. If any human rights, media freedom or access to information organisation would like to join the campaign please click here to send us an e-mail.
