Experts from the Electronic Frontier Foundation (EFF), Access Now, Derechos Digitales, Human Rights Watch, and the International Fund for Public Interest Media will brief reporters on Wednesday, July 24, at 11:00 am Eastern Time (8:00 am Pacific Time, 5:00 pm CET) about the imminent adoption of a global surveillance treaty. The briefing will address concerns that the treaty threatens human rights worldwide and could usher in an era of transnational repression.
The virtual briefing aims to update media members ahead of the United Nations' concluding session of treaty negotiations, scheduled for July 29-August 9 in New York. The negotiations may finalize and adopt what initially began as a treaty to combat cybercrime.
Despite repeated warnings and recommendations from human rights organizations, journalism and industry groups, cybersecurity experts, and digital rights defenders to include human rights safeguards and limit the treaty's broad scope and expansive surveillance powers, UN Member States are expected to adopt the Russian-backed 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.
To join the news conference remotely, interested parties must register through a provided link to receive webinar access details.
Speakers at the event include Tirana Hassan, Executive Director at Human Rights Watch; Paloma Lara-Castro, Public Policy Coordinator at Derechos Digitales; Khadija Patel, Journalist in Residence at International Fund for Public Interest Media; Katitza Rodriguez, Policy Director for Global Policy at EFF. Raman Jit Singh Chima from Access Now will moderate.
For further information on EFF’s submissions and Coalition Letters to the UN Ad Hoc Committee overseeing treaty negotiations:
