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Recent content by Ben Hayes

Understanding the Arab Spring

Middle East scholars join TNI fellows in a unique and fascinating discussion of the context of the democracy uprisings in the Middle East and the way it may shape the region for future generations.

Dirty deals and unprincipled politics

Dealings with Libya in recent years by Europe have been dictated by unprincipled politics and naked profiteering. The sudden discovery of a humanitarian imperative is not only deeply hypocritical, but also duplicitous.

EU complicity in Israeli human rights abuses

Evidence given at the Russell Tribunal on Palestine, and the EU's provision of research grants to Israeli security companies complicit in violations of human rights law.

Blacklisted

Human rights experts call for abolition of United Nations ‘terrorist list’ and wholesale reform of EU blacklisting regime.

Profiteers of the occupation of Palestine should be excluded from the ESRP

Quakers call for an end to participation of Israeli companies “that profit from the occupation of Palestine” in EU security research programme

Key issues on the table at the 8th Asia Europe People's Forum

Ahead of the Asia Europe People's Forum (AEPF) which coincides with the official ASEM8 summit this year in Brussels, four TNI scholar-activists - Susan George, Praful Bidwai, Ben Hayes and Walden Bello - discuss some of the key struggles facing citizens from both regions.

The EU Security-industrial Complex

The EU approach to security is starting to eclipse the rule of law, with very little consideration of human rights.

Should the EU subsidise Israeli security?

The inclusion of Israel in the European Security Research Programme undermines the EU's commitment to even-handedness in the Middle East.

NeoConOpticon

Are we turning a blind eye to a new kind of arms race? One in which all the weapons are pointing inwards? This report reveals the extent to which Europe’s largest defence and IT contractors are benefiting from a €1.4 billion EU “security research” programme.

 

Big business and security

In its haste to cash-in on the security boom, the EU has outsourced its research agenda to corporate self-interest.

Interview: Neoconopticon report

The lack of debate on EU's emerging policies on security is not just about "sleepwalking into a surveillance society”, it is also turning a blind eye to the start of a new kind of arms race, one in which all the weapons are pointing inwards.

Europe's big brothers
If the human right to privacy is to survive a generation, never mind another 60 years, then European societies must have a serious discussion about surveillance techniques, their limits and how to control them, write Thomas Hammarberg and Ben Hayes.

As they prepare to celebrate the 60th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, European governments must do more than just congratulate themselves on the continued appeal of fundamental freedoms.

Britain's financial Guantanamo
A little known UK government legal order forces individuals merely "suspected of terrorism" to have all their assets seized and forced to appeal for funds to even feed themselves.

This Thursday [24 April 2008], Mr Justice Collins of the High Court will deliver his judgment the case of 'G', 'K', 'A', 'M', and 'Q' v. H.M. Treasury. In the words of Rabinder Singh QC, "the facts of the case are reminiscent of an Austro-Hungarian novel". At issue are two 'Orders in Council' adopted under the 1946 United Nations Act.

White man’s burden: criminalising free speech
A proposed EU law on 'public provocation' to terrorism could criminalise widely held political views, but has barely raised a murmur, writes Ben Hayes.

In November 2007 the European Commission submitted a proposal to add three new criminal offences to the 2002 EU Framework Decision on terrorism (1). If agreed by governments, EU countries will be obliged to criminalise “provocation”, “recruitment” and “training” for terrorism.

Surveillance Society
“Terrorist lists” still above the law
Never Mind The Baluch
Control Freaks:"Homeland Security" and "Interoperability"
Arming Big Brother

This Statewatch-TNI report examines the development of the EU Security Research Programme (ESRP) and the growing security-industrial complex in Europe it is being set up to support.

Arming Big Brother: the EU's security research programme