[FYI] (Fwd) Open Letter on UK RIP Bill

["Axel H Horns" <horns@ipjur.com>]

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Date sent:      	Tue, 11 Jul 2000 20:03:43 -0400
From:           	David Banisar <banisar@privacy.org>
Subject:        	Open Letter on UK RIP Bill
To:             	Global Internet Liberty Campaign <gilc-plan@gilc.org>
Send reply to:  	gilc-plan@gilc.org

This letter is being introduced in the House of Lords tomorrow. Its a
rare day when Amnesty Intl, Article 19 and the Countryside Alliance
(the people who organize large marches for fox hunting in London),
along with many of the major trade unions, and doctors groups in a
single letter.

An online petition will start shortly on this.

Dave

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OPEN LETTER CONCERNING THE REGULATION OF INVESTIGATORY POWERS BILL


We wish to express our opposition to the UK government's Regulation of
Investigatory Powers (RIP) bill.

We agree that the government has a duty to protect public safety, but
the RIP bill is neither an acceptable nor a responsible means of
achieving this goal. We are deeply concerned that the bill will
inhibit the development of the Internet and e-commerce, while creating
a range of onerous and unfair impositions on individuals,
organisations and companies.

The bill substantially increases the power of law enforcement and
security agencies, and yet provides wholly inadequate measures for
authorisation and oversight. The ability of Government to demand
decryption keys creates a dangerous precedent which will affect the
rights of all computer users. Surveillance of website visits will
undermine confidence in the Internet as a means of communication.

We urge the government to withdraw the bill. Any subsequent
legislation should, at the very least, provide stringent limitations
and oversight to ensure that it does not violate the rights to
liberty, fair trial,  freedom of expression, freedom of association,
and privacy.

SIGNED (at 11th June 2000)

Privacy International

Amnesty International

The Telecommunications Managers Association

John Wadham, director
Liberty

Professor J Stuart Horner
University of Central Lancashire

Index on Censorship

The Countryside Alliance

Professor Ian Angell,
London School of Economics

Tony Bunyan
Editor, Statewatch

Professor Michael Pidd
President, Operational Research Society

Manufacturing, Science & Finance Union

Professor Michael Pringle, chairman
Royal College of General Practitioners

Esther Dyson,
chairman, EDventure Holdings

Helen Bamber, director
Medical Foundation for the Care of Victims of Torture

Professor George Alberti

Claire Rayner,
Patients Association

Richard Blair

Feminists Against Censorship

Consumers International

Caspar Bowden, director
Foundation for Information Policy Research

Campaign Against Censorship of the Internet in Britain

Christine Hancock, General Secretary
Royal College of Nursing

UK UNIX Users Group

Dr Margaret Jones
Brook Advisory Centres

Dr Fleur Fisher,
Chairman,  BMA Foundation for AIDS

Frances D'Souza CMG

Poptel

The Broadcasting Entertainment Cinematography and Theatre Union

Dr Brian Gladman

First Tuesday

Cyber-Rights & Cyber-Liberties (UK)

Frances Blunden, Director
Prevention of Professional Abuse Network

GreenNet

The National Union of Journalists

Article 19

Relatives for Justice,
Northern Ireland

Campaign Against the Arms Trade

The Society of Editors

Simon Moores
Chairman, The Research Group

Charter 88

UNISON

Mark Thomas
Vera Productions

The Internet Society (England)

The Future Trust

Peter Tatchell
OutRage!

Mike Slocombe
urban75

Campaign for Freedom of Information

Duncan Campbell

Roger Goss
Director, Patient Concern


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