secrecy
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UK Official Secrets Act Proposals Take Cues From US Espionage Act Cases
The United Kingdom’s right-wing dominated government is on course to greatly expand its ability to prosecute and jail whistleblowers and journalists through amendments to the country’s Official Secrets Acts. Continue reading
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New UK laws could criminalise journalism
The British government is pushing ahead with “espionage legislation” that could criminalise the release of public information and impose even stricter controls on the UK media as part of an “epidemic of secrecy”. Continue reading
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New laws to criminalise public interest information
A new Declassified report published only a few days ago goes to show the situation we find our selves in right now. In the midst of a crisis, while the commentariat are lobbing rocks at each other over the endless scandals and the media are focused on the pandemic – the government continues to act… Continue reading
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Nuclear War Planning and the Challenge of Civilian Oversight
Washington D.C., January 22, 2020 – In an unusual episode in the early 1970s, the Joint Chiefs Staff tried to keep Defense Secretary Melvin Laird in the dark about an aspect of secret nuclear targeting policy involving China, according to a recently declassified archival document requested by the National Security Archive. Laird only discovered the… Continue reading
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National Security Archive Joins Media Groups Versus Unlimited Gag Orders
The National Security Archive, along with 15 other media organizations, filed a “friend of the court” brief on April 29 challenging the FBI’s authority to issue national security letters (NSLs) without any judicial oversight and under indefinite gag orders. The letters demand business records from a wide array of organizations for national security investigations, and… Continue reading
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Take action to save Freedom of Information today
This evening at 11.45pm, the Commission on Freedom of Information closes its call for evidence. The Act under scrutiny – Freedom of Information (FOIA) – has been used as a tool for transparency and accountability for over 10 years. Without it, we wouldn’t know about the MPs’ expenses scandal, or have seen positive changes to… Continue reading
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Statewatch News Online, 24 September 2015 (22/15): Council challenges EU Ombudsman secret trilogues Inquiry (22/15)
“Over 80% of all new EU laws are agreed in these secret trilogues – they should have no place in a democracy worthy of the name – they should be held in the open with full public access to documents so that we can see what is being decided in our name.” Continue reading
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Statewatch 27 March 2014: Two new Analyses exposing secrecy in the EU
– The Commission has failed to implement the Lisbon Treaty to ensure that all legislative documents are made public as they are produced – this means that 60% of Council documents relating to legislative decision-making are made public after “the final adoption” of measures Continue reading
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National Security Archive: Spy Chief James Clapper Wins Rosemary Award
Director of National Intelligence James Clapper has won the infamous Rosemary Award for worst open government performance in 2013, according to the citation published today by the National Security Archive at www.nsarchive.org. Despite heavy competition, Clapper’s “No, sir” lie to Senator Ron Wyden’s question: “Does the NSA collect any type of data at all on… Continue reading
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Want to Know Who the US is at War With? Too Bad, Says Pentagon By Lauren Harper
The National Security Archive recently submitted an MDR request for the Pentagon’s current list of Al Qaeda associated forces. The list is significant not only in determining whom the military is targeting in its citizens’ names; it also illuminates the Pentagon’s broadening interpretation of its post-9/11 mandate at the expense of Congressional oversight. Continue reading
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The Unnatural Death of Dr. David Kelly: Template for “Legalised Cover-up” of Political Assassinations By Dr. Miriam Stevenson
Since the death of Dr Kelly and the atrocity of the Iraq War, the British government have been stealthily chipping away the fundamental tenets of the Coronial and Inquiries systems to ensure absolute political control and all necessary secrecy with respect to the death of any individual. The 2005 Inquiries Act and the 2009 Coroners… Continue reading
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David Kelly and the silence of British media – 10 years on By Justin Kelly
Are concerns over the official narrative “conspiracy fodder”, or have the media failed to adequately challenge the state’s account of what happened? Continue reading
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The rules of secret justice in Britain By Angela Patrick
To impliment the deployment of ‘Secret Justice’ in the UK the government has to table the rules that will deliver the legisation. It has done so in a sneaky fashion and has announced they will be debated and decided in the House of Commons tomorrow! Continue reading
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Wikileaks Newslinks 10 July 2013
10 July 2013 — williambowles.info WikiLeaks – a journalism high point: US court-martial witness Reuters FORT MEADE, Maryland (Reuters) – WikiLeaks and its model of decentralised leaking of secrets is a high point in journalism history, a Harvard professor testified on Wednesday at the court-martial of a U.S. soldier charged with passing secret documents … http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/07/10/us-usa-wikileaks-manning-idUSBRE9690NZ20130710 Continue reading
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“The Shell Game” and the Osama bin Laden Documents By Lauren Harper
What could possibly compel the government to go out of its way to hide the official record on the most important raid in history? It’s hard to fathom, but a recent Associated Press article by Richard Larner shows that the Pentagon is doing just that by sending all its records on the Osama bin Laden… Continue reading
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Wikileaks Newslinks 24 June 2013
24 June 2013 — williambowles.info WikiLeaks: Snowden going to Ecuador to seek asylum Boston.com Foreign Minister Ricardo Patino said his government has received a request for asylum from Snowden. WikiLeaks, which is giving Snowden legal assistance, said his asylum request would be formally processed once he arrived in Ecuador, the same country … http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/2013/06/23/wikileaks-snowden-requested-legal-help-safety/pga1udk7ZNJfr4nQnYKZCO/story.html Continue reading
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Bradley Manning Newslinks 12 June 2013
12 June 2013 — williambowles.info Bradley Manning trial to be recreated in comic-book form The Guardian The comic, The United States vs PFC Bradley Manning: A Graphic Account from Inside the Courtroom, will include drawings of events that illustrate the matters under discussion in the courtroom – for example, the war in Afghanistan – Continue reading
The New Dark Age 