Spanish agents went undercover to spy on activists. The Catalan newspaper La Directa exposed them. Now, the Spanish Data Protection Agency has demanded La Directa remove the information and pay a fine of up to €7,000. Read more: buff.ly/utCJMpY Support La Directa: buff.ly/qNjqSw4

Within two years of October 2023, the number of contracts between Israeli companies and public institutions in the EU grew to 112. The total value in that period is estimated at nearly €1.6 billion.

1/ A recent academic project, Probable Futures, mapped 70 uses of AI in the criminal justice system. These range from emergency call handling and evidence assessment to crime ‘prediction’ and automated analysis of video footage.

Public institutions in the EU hold hundreds of contracts with Israeli companies worth almost €2.7 billion. Trade sanctions or boycotts could have a profound impact on Israel’s economy and its ability to wage war. Yet, the EU has taken no meaningful action.

Police in England and Wales are using live facial recognition to scan millions of faces. A law governing its use is on the way, but campaigners warn it won't be enough. Read more about the government's plans: buff.ly/iGEZnld Take action: buff.ly/lf0fSgT

The 17th issue of the #ExternalisationBulletin is out now. This bulletin includes details on: • The EU Border Mission in Libya; • The Frontex RECAPP app; • Disinformation campaigns around West Africa and more. It also makes 22 documents public. Read the issue: buff.ly/GPZsE2S

We're excited to announce that we've just launched our new website. Here's a quick rundown of the biggest changes 🧵

Just leaked: New agreement between EU naval mission and Libya’s eastern forces (link below) We've obtained and published a ‘technical arrangement’ between the EU’s naval mission Operation Irini and the ‘eastern forces’ of Libya under General Khalifa Haftar. Read and share: buff.ly/A7Q2sdj

Just leaked: We've obtained one of the latest working documents of the deportation regulation (a.k.a. "returns regulation”), by the EU Parliament, the EU Council, and the EU Commission. From what we can tell so far, no improvements have been made, despite relentless campaigning.

We've just published the Commission's proposal for EU-US data exchange. What they suggest would violate EU law. Access the document and read the full analysis by Romain Lanneau: buff.ly/8HLpLfT

Europol is hiring a new director to replace Catherine de Bolle. At the same time, Frontex's former director faces a French court for complicity in crimes against humanity.

€27.1 million in hidden funds by the EU. Does that sound right to you? Read more about IrpiMedia's investigation and find the full report, "Financing the Violence", produced in collaboration with SOS Méditerranée, here: buff.ly/d6RXTHY

The UK Labour Party came to power in July 2024 promising change and an end to 14 years of the right-wing rule seen under the Tories. Instead, it has since entrenched some of the Tories’ worst overreaches—and added some more of its own. Read more and view the timeline here: buff.ly/bwvxM5p

1/ The 15th issue of the #ExternalisationBulletin is out now. This month's bulletin includes a document that is almost laughably horrific. In it, the Council Presidency implores the EU’s main border externalisation committee to *mention* human rights more when dealing with non-EU partner countries.

The 14th issue of the #ExternalisationBulletin is out now. This month’s bulletin contains details about the EU's newest plan for 'degressive’ reintegration support, other means of ‘incentivising’ self-deportations, and twenty newly-obtained Council documents. Find the issue here: buff.ly/dmMS8AK

We joined 87 other organisations in a statement condemning the EU's proposed Deportation ("Return") Regulation, because increasing surveillance, policing, and racial profiling will only fuel racism and a far-right agenda. The statement: buff.ly/FbcfD1I The @theguardian.com article: buff.ly/Xu3a1sd

Unsurprisingly, the EU's supposedly “new and innovative solution” to migration is a re-packaged and previously rejected one. Read more in the article by @freylindsay.bsky.social: buff.ly/yGtueHB

Register now for the upcoming event, AI in the Field of Asylum and Immigration Law, to hear more from Statewatch researcher Romain Lanneau. Host: ERA Academy of European Law Dates: 9-10 March 2026 Location: Online More details and registration info: buff.ly/Tjoqhkx

We've just published a document that details the EU's disturbing plans to expand cross-border travel surveillance. The changes include using travel data for new purposes, such as immigration control, and bypassing important safeguards. Read more: buff.ly/N8iffJW

Are the EU's border policy plans similar to the US? Listen in as Statewatch journalist Frey Lindsay shares the answer on Lagos Talks radio. Want to help change the direction? Follow our bulletin, Outsourcing borders, here: buff.ly/8qfXgJa Speaker: @freylindsay.bsky.social

UK: A recent court case has exposed Nick Gratwick as a private spy hired by UK police. The Undercover Research Group (URG) has been investigating Nick for many years, and now their new report details his activities throughout the late 1990s - early 2000s. Read it here: buff.ly/kVFwYza

As state powers of repression are globalised, so too must our resistance, advocacy and collaboration. We released our research, Networks of [in]security (NOIS), as a living resource to help us do that. Read more and get in contact: buff.ly/MbWx0na

3/ With more states being connected to watchlisting systems, new information-sharing networks being put in place, and more governments with an authoritarian bent coming to power, transnational repression seems likely to continue. Unless we work together to oppose it. Read more: nois.statewatch.org

2/ It is typically less-than-liberal and authoritarian regimes behind this behaviour—but they are far from being the only culprits. For example, no one would be surprised to hear that EU states have used regional watchlisting systems to bar pro-Palestine activists from entering their territory.

1/ Governments are increasingly engaging in transnational repression: reaching across borders to silence dissent from afar. This can include assassinations, illegal deportations, abductions, digital threats, Interpol abuse, and family intimidation.

According Info Park, an organisation in Belgrade, Serbia, people on the move along the Western Balkan route face a cycle of of detention, transfers, and endless reattempts. The EU's new pact on migration will only worsen these brutal realities.

The 12th issue of the #ExternalisationBulletin is out now 🚨 This edition covers: • Efforts to expand Frontex’s mandate • Growing concerns over the EU’s digital border systems • Threats to undermine EU's new migration "solidarity" system And more, here: buff.ly/GK3RMMW

The “war on terror” might have left the headlines—but states are still using and abusing ‘counterterrorism’ powers to exert control. And for the past two years, we have been gathering evidence to show exactly how they do it. Swipe to read some of our key findings, or go to nois.statewatch.org

1/ We’ve just launched a new in-depth resource that examines global counter-terrorism and security networks. It provides an evidence base for how these security norms are implemented, their effects on human rights and how we can push for change.

In October 2024 the EU announced it would provide €30 million from its aid budget to Senegal. Ultimately, the plans can be seen as contributing to a new era of carceral EU migration “management” in West Africa. Read more in the latest article by Leonie Jegen: buff.ly/ImferiV