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70 rights groups caution Cameron over UK response to surveillance
Seventy free speech, human rights, internet and media freedom organisations from around the world have written to the UK Prime Minister, David Cameron, to voice their concern about the erosion of fundamental rights and freedoms in the country.
The open letter comes in response to a series of events in the wake of the Guardian newspaper’s reporting of the Edward Snowden disclosures, revealing mass surveillance of digital communications by the UK security agency, GCHQ.
In the letter, the international coalition states its deep concern about the way in which the UK government is using national security arguments to restrict individuals and media organisations who have helped generate an important public interest debate. The coalition believes that it is crucial that the people of the UK should be able to have an open and informed discussion about the acceptable parameters of state surveillance, as well as a mechanism to ensure the oversight and accountability of such surveillance.
See the full letter here: http://www.article19.org/resources.php/resource/37333/en/joint-letter:-open-letter-to-david-cameron-on-surveillance