Europe Exported Spyware to Human Rights Abusers, Watchdog Says
Human Rights Watch says weak reporting rules and national licensing practices have obscured exports of intrusive technology to abusive governments.
- On Tuesday, Human Rights Watch released a report criticizing the European Union for failing to prevent member states from exporting surveillance technology to governments with documented histories of spying on activists and journalists.
- Although the 2021 "Dual-Use Recast" requires member states to report export licensing decisions to the European Commission, current guidelines obfuscate export data, undermining the regulation's transparency goals.
- A 2024 Google Threat Analysis Group report identified around 40 commercial surveillance companies, with most based in the European Union; data confirms exports of interception systems from Bulgaria to Azerbaijan and Poland to Rwanda.
- Ministries in Bulgaria and Poland defended their processes, claiming a policy of "zero tolerance for abuses," while the European Commission stated that member states remain solely responsible for individual licensing decisions.
- Ahead of the European Commission launching an evaluation of the Dual-Use Regulation in September, Human Rights Watch urged Brussels to mandate real transparency, tighten due diligence requirements, and enforce stricter controls to block risky exports.
14 Articles
14 Articles
European Union: Surveillance Technology Sold to Rights Violators
The European Union has failed to prevent member states from exporting surveillance technology to governments with well-documented histories of using technology to spy on activists, journalists, and other critical voices, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today.
In its report, the NGO accuses the European Union (EU) of exporting spyware to countries that violate human rights. The report does not mention companies that provided mass surveillance tools, but several Member States are cited as having authorised such exports.
Several European defense companies are supplying espionage technology to authoritarian regimes such as Azerbaijan and Rwanda, according to a report by Human Rights Watch. With this technology, governments can, for example, infiltrate and eavesdrop on the phones and computers of journalists and activists. Although the European Union technically prohibits this export, the technology is being exported to and deployed by countries with a poor human …
Bulgaria, Poland Among EU States Accused of Selling Spy Tech to Autocracies
In a report, HRW urges the EU Commission to strengthen due diligence and transparency rules after finding surveillance tech produced by EU companies is being exported to states with poor human rights records.
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