"Security cameras guarding Magna Carta are provided by a Chinese CCTV company whose technology has allegedly aided the Uyghur genocide and been exploited by Russia during the invasion of Ukraine, it has emerged. In letters seen by the Guardian, campaigners called on Salisbury Cathedral, which houses one of four surviving copies of the powerful symbol of social justice, to rip out cameras made by Dahua Technology, based in the Chinese city of Hangzhou."
"Cameras made by the firms have already been removed from sensitive UK government sites, over concerns that they could be remotely accessed by China and used to spy on sensitive sites. Now fresh concerns about the two companies' roles at sites housing foundational symbols of democracy and human rights have been raised by the World Uyghur Congress (WUC) and a Ukrainian organisation called Don't Fund Russian Army. China's Dahua Technology"
"boasts on its website that its low-light surveillance cameras help ensure the safety of a copy of Magna Carta, sealed by King John at Runnymede, England, in 1215. The document established limitations on feudal powers and is widely seen as a precursor to later formulations laying down democratic values and human rights protections. Salisbury Cathedral's website calls the 810-year-old document a powerful symbol of social justice that has inspired and encouraged freedom movements around the world."
Dahua Technology and Hikvision provide surveillance cameras that monitor heritage sites including a Magna Carta copy at Salisbury Cathedral and the Parthenon in Greece. Campaigners and organisations including the World Uyghur Congress and a Ukrainian group called Don't Fund Russian Army urged removal of the devices. The firms' gear was previously removed from sensitive UK government sites amid concerns about remote access and potential Chinese spying. Dahua's website states its low-light cameras help protect the Magna Carta copy sealed at Runnymede in 1215. The World Uyghur Congress alleges Dahua's technology aided identification of Uyghurs and automated police reporting, and that the systems were exploited by Russia during its invasion of Ukraine.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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