An EU flag, pictured in January 2012. The European Parliament is due to vote this month on legislation around exports of surveillance software. (AP/Vadim Ghirda)
An EU flag, pictured in January 2012. The European Parliament is due to vote this month on legislation around exports of surveillance software. (AP/Vadim Ghirda)

CPJ joins call for EU to stop surveillance software going to rights abusers

The Committee to Protect Journalists today joined a group of human rights groups in calling on the European Parliament to vote tomorrow in favor of legislation that could prevent surveillance equipment from going to rights-abusing governments.

Under the proposed legislation, EU member states would be required to record and make publicly available licensing data, and to deny license applications if the export of a surveillance technology is likely to lead to serious human rights violations, the joint press release said.

Read the press release here.