Media Briefing: EFF, Partners Warn UN Member States Are Poised to Approve Dangerous International Surveillance Treaty

Countries That Believe in Rule of Law Must Push Back on Draft That Expands Spying Powers, Benefiting Authoritarian Regimes

SAN FRANCISCO—On Wednesday, July 24, at 11:00 am Eastern Time (8:00 am Pacific Time, 5:00 pm CET), experts from Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Access Now, Derechos Digitales, Human Rights Watch, and the International Fund for Public Interest Media will brief reporters about the imminent adoption of a global surveillance treaty that threatens human rights around the world, potentially paving the way for a new era of transnational repression. The virtual briefing will update members of the media ahead of the United Nations’ concluding session of treaty negotiations, scheduled for July 29-August 9 in New York, to possibly finalize and adopt what started out as a treaty to combat cybercrime. Despite repeated warnings and recommendations by human rights organizations, journalism and industry groups, cybersecurity experts, and digital rights defenders to add human rights safeguards and rein in the treaty’s broad scope and expansive surveillance powers, UN Member States are expected to adopt the Russian-backed, deeply flawed draft. The experts will discuss the draft treaty in terms of shifts in geopolitical power, abuse of cybercrime laws, and challenges posed by the rising influence of Russia and China. A question-and-answer session will follow speaker presentations.  

WHAT: Virtual media briefing on UN surveillance treaty

HOW: To join the news conference remotely, please register from the following link to receive the webinar ID and password: https://eff.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwkd-GsrzoiH9Jt3gsl2CJ55Xv0hBDguxW5

SPEAKERS: Tirana Hassan, Executive Director, Human Rights Watch Paloma Lara-Castro, Public Policy Coordinator, Derechos Digitales Khadija Patel, Journalist in Residence, International Fund for Public Interest Media Katitza Rodriguez, Policy Director for Global Policy, EFF Moderator: Raman Jit Singh Chima, Global Cybersecurity Lead and Senior International Counsel, Access Now

WHEN: Wednesday, July 24, at 11:00 am Eastern Time, 8:00 am Pacific Time, 5:00 pm CET

For EFF’s submissions and Coalition Letters to UN Ad Hoc Committee overseeing treaty negotiations: https://www.eff.org/pages/submissions#main-content