European Parliament urged to block digital arms exports

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Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and six other NGOs call on the European Parliament to vote on the 17th of January to approve new rules for dual-use technology exports that take more account of human rights and restrict sales to authoritarian regimes that could use this technology to spy on journalists and dissidents.

The European Union has a unique opportunity to limit exports of surveillance technology produced by European firms, including French ones. The NGO coalition urges MEPs to remember that, while defending the economic interests of EU member countries is understandable, it must stop where the defence of human rights starts.


“The EU must take a firm stand in defence of the freedom to inform. Journalists must not be spied on or arrested with the help of these ‘dual use’ technologies, which also have a chilling effect on journalists and their sources, fuelling concern about the security of their communications and therefore discouraging an exchange of information,” said Elodie Vialle, Head of Journalism and Technology desk at Reporters Without Borders (RSF).


The joint press release by Access Now, Amnesty International, Coalizione Italiana Liberta e Diritti civili (CILD), Committee to Protect Journalists, International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH), Privacy International and Reporters Without Borders (RSF) is available below.

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Updated on 17.01.2018

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press_release_ep_plenary_vote_17_january_2017.pdf