Justice and Home Affairs Committee publishes report on electronic monitoring

"Privacy International welcomes the UK House of Lord's Justice and Home Affairs Committee's investigation and subsequent report on electronic monitoring. The UK currently monitors some individuals who have interacted with the criminal justice system, and all individuals released on bail from immigration detention, through fitted GPS tags and non-fitted monitoring devices. In the immigration context, the Home Office touts electronic monitoring as a less restrictive way to maintain contact with individuals whose immigration statuses are still being decided."

"But in practice, the program is largely ineffective and rife with human rights issues. This investigation is an important step in recognising and rectifying the harms caused by electronic monitoring in immigration. Privacy International (PI) submitted evidence regarding the use of electronic monitoring in the form of GPS tagging in the contexts of immigration bail and asylum. PI believes that GPS tagging should never be used in immigration contexts because it is dehumanising, invasive, and a means for unjust government surveillance."

Privacy International welcomed the House of Lords Justice and Home Affairs Committee's investigation and report on electronic monitoring. The UK monitors some people involved with the criminal justice system and everyone released on bail from immigration detention using fitted GPS tags and non-fitted devices. The Home Office presents electronic monitoring as a less restrictive way to keep contact with people while immigration decisions are pending, but the program is largely ineffective and poses serious human rights concerns. Privacy International submitted evidence on GPS tagging in immigration bail and asylum and asserts that GPS tagging dehumanises, invades privacy, and enables unjust government surveillance.

Read at Privacy International