The UK has been reviewed for the first time since 2008 by the UN Human Rights Committee which is concerned with Britain’s laws on interception of communications and data. The legislation "allows for mass interception" and "lacks sufficient safeguards against arbitrary interference with the right to privacy."
The report suggests Britain should revise its counter terror legislation and re-look at its snooping laws.
"Measures should be taken to ensure that any interference with the right to privacy complies with the principles of legality, proportionality and necessity, regardless of the nationality or location of the individuals whose communications are under direct surveillance.
"The Committee is further concerned that the 2014 Data Retention Investigatory Powers Act provides for wide powers of retention of communication data and access to such data does not appear to be limited to the most serious crimes."
The British government are going ahead with its new controversial communications data bill, dubbed the Snooper’s Charter. The bill would give government agencies and police more power to snoop on people’s email, web history and social media activity and bulk collect swathes of communications data.
The bill is being officially presented as a piece of counter terrorism legislation. Speaking in the wake of the terror attacks in Paris, Prime Minister David Cameron said: "We do need to modernize our rules about interception" and the government "cannot allow modern forms of communication" to be "exempt from being listened to."
The new UN report into the UK's human rights also raised concerns about the increased numbers of suicides in police custody – particularly in England and Wales. It also said:
"The Committee is concerned that no fixed time limit on the duration of detention in Immigration Removal Centres has been established and that individuals may be detained for prolonged periods."
