[P2P-F] Fwd: [opennetcoalition] Huge Threats to Fundamental Freedoms and Rights Consolidated in the French Parliament

Wed Dec 11 15:11:34 CET 2013

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: La Quadrature du Net <jz at laquadrature.net>
Date: Wed, Dec 11, 2013 at 8:45 AM
Subject: [opennetcoalition] Huge Threats to Fundamental Freedoms and Rights
Consolidated in the French Parliament
To: opennetcoalition at laquadrature.net

Themes: SURVEILLANCE, PRIVACY, FRENCH DEFENSE BILL

La Quadrature du Net – For immediate release

Permanent link:
https://www.laquadrature.net/en/huge-threats-to-fundamental-freedoms-and-rights-consolidated-in-the-french-parliament

Huge Threats to Fundamental Freedoms and Rights Consolidated in the French
Parliament

*** Paris, 10 December 2013 — Despite the strong citizen mobilisation and
the numerous reactions [1] voiced against it, the French Senate just voted
in second reading the controversial 2014-2019 Defense Bill [2] and its
dangerous terms without any changes. This vote closes parliamentary debate
on this text: the French Constitutional Council alone can now alter the
application of these measures infringing the basic rights of citizens. La
Quadrature du Net strongly calls the members of the French Parliament to
formally place the matter before the Constitutional Council for a decision
on the conformity of this law to the French Constitution. ***

By voting the 2014-2019 Defense Bill without any changes, the French
Senators just closed parliamentary debates on the subject. Despite numerous
warnings expressed by citizen organisations [3] as well as public agencies
[4], the text adopted today will:
    - Authorise live capturing of data and documents (“that on request may
be captured and transmitted in real time by operators and agents mentioned”
[our translation]) by hosting services and service providers.
    - Allow the harvesting and capturing of “data and documents treated or
stored by their networks or services” (our translation) and not solely the
connection data.
    - Extend the list of public offices that may request surveillance, to
include, for instance, the Ministry of Economy and Finance.
    - Extend the reasons for which surveillance may be requested to include
information related to “the scientific and economic potential of France”
and the prevention of “organised crime and delinquency” (our translations).

At this stage of the procedure, only the French Constitutional Council can
stop the application of these measures opening the way to generalised
surveillance of online information and communications. But this higher
authority needs to be referred to by either 60 MPs, the Prime Minister or
the President. La Quadrature du Net strongly calls on representatives of
both chambers to hear appeals from citizens and to table a request for a
constitutional review as soon as possible.

“In the context of Snowden's revelations on massive and generalised citizen
surveillance, it is shocking to see the French Parliament adopt a text that
enshrines the state of emergency and allows total abuse of citizen's
privacy. Representatives must hear the call of civil society and activate
recourse to the Constitutional Council” concludes Phillipe Aigrain,
cofounder of La Quadrature du Net.

* References *

1.
https://www.laquadrature.net/fr/pcinpact-surveillance-du-net-deluge-de-contestations-contre-le-patriot-act-francais[fr]

2. http://www.assemblee-nationale.fr/14/ta/ta0251.asp [fr]

3. For example by the AFDEL (the French Association of software and
Internet solution engineers) as well as the International Federation on
Human Rights or La Quadrature du Net.

4. Especially the Conseil National du Numérique (The French Digital
Council) and the CNIL (National Commission of Digital Information and
Freedom).

** About La Quadrature du Net **

La Quadrature du Net is an advocacy group that defends the rights and
freedoms of citizens on the Internet. More specifically, it advocates for
the adaptation of French and European legislations to respect the founding
principles of the Internet, most notably the free circulation of knowledge.

In addition to its advocacy work, the group also aims to foster a better
understanding of legislative processes among citizens. Through specific and
pertinent information and tools, La Quadrature du Net hopes to encourage
citizens' participation in the public debate on rights and freedoms in the
digital age.

La Quadrature du Net is supported by French, European and international
NGOs including the Electronic Frontier Foundation, the Open Society
Institute and Privacy International.

List of supporting organisations:
https://www.laquadrature.net/en/they-support-la-quadrature-du-net

** Press contact and press room **

Jérémie Zimmermann, jz at laquadrature.net, +33 (0)615 940 675

http://www.laquadrature.net/en/press-room

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