PR: CR&CL(UK) publishes the IOCA Response

[Yaman Akdeniz]

Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK) Press Release

“Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK) publishes the IOCA 
Response”

12 August, 1999

LEEDS - Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK) today published its 
response to the Home Office review of the Interception of 
Communications in the UK. The Board Members of Cyber-Rights & 
Cyber-Liberties (UK) welcome the government review but regret that 
it was a secretive review. Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK) also 
regret the lack of empirical evidence for most of the conclusions, 
especially the claim by the Home Secretary in his foreword that 
“sophisticated criminals and terrorists have been quick to put the 
new technology to use”.

The response argues that “no convincing reasons are given for the 
failure to adopt procedures by which judicial warrants would replace 
executive authority,” and also states that “the system of oversight 
by the Commissioner and Tribunal has failed to reassure 
complainants or the public.”

Furthermore, the response states that: “it remains unclear why the 
fruits of intercepts cannot be used in court (section 9 of the 1985 
Act) - especially if such evidence is ‘crucial’ to law enforcement.”  
According to the Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK) response, 
“reasons cited against such use are not convincing or are 
unacceptable.”

Finally, Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK) call for transparency 
and openness in relation to the development and use of 
unaccountable international systems for interception (Echelon and 
Enfopol), and for the adoption of safeguards no less stringent than 
for interceptions with a domestic element. “Otherwise interception 
of international telecommunications amounts to nothing less than 
state-sponsored information piracy, and will inevitably operate as a 
constraint on the development of legitimate international co-
operation in the prevention of crime.”

Professor Clive Walker, Deputy Director of Cyber-Rights & Cyber-
Liberties (UK) stated that:

“We recognise the value of surveillance to law enforcement but at 
the same time we believe that these proposals are not adequate to 
guard against the establishment of a surveillance society in the 
21st century. All we are asking for are some of the controls and 
safeguards which are commonplace in Continental Europe and 
North America.”

Mr. Yaman Akdeniz, director of Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties 
(UK) stated that:

“The Government does not have a convincing plan and evidence for 
such an invasion of privacy and we are not persuaded by the fact 
that interception is crucial to law enforcement. The proposals are 
drafted with an Orwellian State in mind. It should also be noted that 
the debate about interception of communications is not national but 
international and there is an urgent need for openness and 
accountability at an international level for the development and use 
of intrusive technologies and systems such as Echelon.”

Mr. Nicholas Bohm, E-Commerce Policy Adviser for Cyber-Rights 
& Cyber-Liberties (UK) added:

“The rapid growth of digital communications has produced a 
correspondingly huge increase in exposure to interception by law 
enforcement and intelligence agencies. More effective and stringent 
safeguards are needed to prevent unjustified invasions of privacy, 
and to promote justified confidence in the Internet.  For the same 
purpose, the legitimate fruits of interception should be used to 
combat crime on the Internet and elsewhere by being made 
admissible in the prosecution of criminals.”

Notes for the Editors

Cyber Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK) IOCA Response is available at 
http://www.cyber-rights.org/reports/ioca99-response.htm

Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK) Interception of 
Communications pages is at http://www.cyber-
rights.org/interception

For a list of Cyber Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK) reports and 
papers see http://www.cyber-rights.org/reports.

This press release will be available through http://www.cyber-
rights.org/interception

Contact Information

Professor Clive Walker, Deputy Director
Telephone: +44 (0) 113 2335033
E-mail: law6cw@cyber-rights.org

Mr Yaman Akdeniz, Director of Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK)
Telephone: 0498-865116, dial +44 498 865116 if you are abroad.
(Try +90 216 3500000 till September 1999)
E-mail: lawya@cyber-rights.org

Mr Nicholas Bohm, E-Commerce Policy Adviser,
Cyber Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK)
Telephone: 01279 871272, dial +44 1279 871272 if you are abroad.
E-mail: nbohm@cyber-rights.org

Dr Brian Gladman, Technology Policy Adviser, 
Cyber Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK)
Telephone: 01905 748990, dial +44 1905 748990 if you are abroad.
E-mail: brg@cyber-rights.org 

Dr. Louise Ellison, Deputy Director 
Telephone: +44 (0) 118 9875123 (ext: 7507) 
E-mail: lawlee@cyber-rights.org


Mr. Yaman Akdeniz,
Director, Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK)
URL: http://www.cyber-rights.org
E-mail: lawya@cyber-rights.org