Statewatch

@Migreurop @edri 3/ Going forward, we hope you will join us elsewhere–especially on our mailing list: buff.ly/3WNdovt Otherwise, find us on: • Bluesky (@statewatch.bsky.social) • Mastodon (@statewatch@mastodon.world) •LinkedIn (@statewatch) And to @X? Well, it’s not us. It’s you.

2/ Alongside @Migreurop, @EDRi and other civil society groups across Europe, we’ve chosen today as a symbolic moment of dissent. Read more on why we are leaving here: buff.ly/40r42Wk

1/ Today, we are leaving X. Under its current ownership, X has become a platform for amplifying hate speech, disinformation, & extremism while sidelining voices from civil society. That’s not a space we can support.

Open letter speaks out against Europol-Egypt agreement. 📢 Citing Egypt’s “abysmal human rights record", the letter condemns the plan as part of a strategy that puts "security" above people’s rights and freedoms. Read it here: buff.ly/40daG2g

GPS tagging of migrants is cruel and disproportionate, as research from PLP, @Medical_Justice and @BIDdetention has proven. Now the Home Office's evaluation of its own GPS tagging pilot has revealed that it was ineffective too.

Italian PM Meloni claimed credit for the drop in European migrant crossings: bit.ly/3E5EJ4x Any politician also has the courage to "claim credit" for the death of at least 1699 people in the Central Mediterranean⁉️

As long as states continue to use tactics of #secrecy, we will work to expose them. Whether in meeting agendas, budgets, or policy plans, redaction is a tactic used to maintain state power. Our new logo represents our commitment to challenging this power. 🦖

Would you like to know more about how data protection law can be used in migration and asylum cases? 🛡️🔒📊 ➡️@StatewatchEU is organising a new training on: Data protection in immigration and asylum: Rights and opportunities for redress ⤵️

🚨 NEW: Frontex, "voluntary" deportations, & anti-solidarity Special report by @HopeAmeliee & @AnasAmbri reveals how EU-backed & Frontex-led "voluntary returns" blur the line between choice & coercion, especially in detention settings. Read it here: buff.ly/3DQI2gb

Participants will learn about: - The EU legal framework and technological infrastructure for migration and asylum - How EU privacy and data protection law is relevant - How to prepare and file access requests Find the details and register here: buff.ly/3DOLmZd 2/2

👉 Join us for a workshop: Data protection in immigration and asylum: Rights and opportunities for redress When: 23 January, 16:00-18:00 CET Where: Online (zoom) 1/2

4 DAYS LEFT: Apply to be our new #trustee by 13 January. We are looking for people with expertise and experience in: • fundraising • relevant legal matters • organisational growth • carrying out research Read about the role and how to apply: buff.ly/3P4SItD

@Frontex @Europol Wondering about Frontex so-called "debriefing" interviews–or, rather, interrogations? Read this analysis by @c_bachi & @FranMorenilla: buff.ly/400Yxxi 3/3

@Frontex @Europol The data Frontex gathered through "debriefing" interviews was shared without "any kind of assessment of the necessity of such sharing". Aside from being an alarming oversight, this was also "contrary to what is required by Frontex Regulation." buff.ly/4h8jgq8 2/3

Unsurprisingly, Frontex is in trouble for #DataProtection breaches. The @EDPS_EU has given @Frontex a slap on the wrist because—for almost a decade—Frontex has been gathering data from migrants and refugees who arrive in the EU and sharing it with @Europol. 1/3

2/ And as for our logo, whether you see it as... • a nod to document redaction ◼️ • placards at a demonstration 🪧 • or even a little dinosaur 🦖 ...we feel it represents who we are, what we come from, and what we’re up against.

1/ In case you missed it, we look slightly different now. As a community of activists & journalists, we wanted our look to reflect the history of zines, pamphlets & other materials used to inform public dissent. We wanted to be bold, informative & (sometimes) a little cheeky.

Times are changing, so we thought we would change (a little) with them. That’s right, we have changed our look. But don’t panic, this new visual flair doesn’t change our mission. We will continue exposing state activity that threatens human rights–just as we have since 1991.

We are seeking new trustees! 💚 Our trustees play a critical role in shaping our work and ensuring we do it well. That's why we are recruiting for trustees with these particular skillsets. Apply by Monday, 13 January. See the role & how to apply: buff.ly/3P4SItD

New year, new look, same mission. ❇️