03/02/2020
Privacy International v Secretary of State for Foreign And Commonwealth Affairs & Ors (Rev 2) [2016] UKIPTrib 15_110-CH (17 October 2016)
jurisprudence, by reference to Digital Rights Ireland v Minister for Communications, Marine and
Natural Resources and Others [2015] QB 127 and the Advocate General's opinion in Tele2 Sverige
AB v Post-Och Telestyrelsen and Others [C-203/15 and C-698/15], delivered on 19 July 2016,
which we shall have more opportunity to consider when we deal with the adjourned EU law issues. So
far as ECHR jurisprudence is concerned, there have only been two recent cases bearing on the
position, R E v United Kingdom [ 2016] 63 EHRR 2, which we considered in Greennet at
paragraphs 79-80, and Szabo & Vissy v Hungary [Application 37128/14, 12 January 2016]. Szabo
was a decision of the Fourth Section of the Court: there were no safeguards in place at all, and it is
clear from paragraph 70 of the Judgment that it was not a case which was appropriate to lead to any
new jurisprudence, because: "It is not warranted to embark on [such consideration] in the present
case, since the Hungarian system of safeguards appears to fall short even of the previously existing
principles." The decision of the Court, at paragraphs 88 and 89, was that the Hungarian legislation was
not sufficiently precise, effective and comprehensive on surveillance and the Government had not
proved the practical effectiveness of any supervision arrangements. On its face the section 7/E (3)
power granted to the anti-terrorist organ was unlimited in the cases in which intelligence gathering
might be used. Both R E and Szabo were applying the principles in Weber and Kennedy to the
particular facts.
61. If there is to be any new jurisprudence, this Tribunal and indeed the UK Courts are not required to
anticipate it, as is made clear by R (Ullah) v Special Adjudicator [2004] 2 AC 323, not least in that
the Respondents have no right of appeal. Insofar as there is some support for a requirement for
judicial pre-authorisation, notwithstanding the view of this Tribunal in Liberty/Privacy at paragraph
116(vi), or for someone who has been the subject of interception to be notified when there has been a
material error by the Respondents (as proposed in clause 209 [Error Reporting] of the Investigatory
Powers Bill), it is not for this Tribunal to lay down new requirements, and (see the transcript at Day 2,
page 109) it does not appear that Mr. de la Mare was submitting that we should do so.
62. Accordingly, by reference to our considered assessment of the ECHR jurisprudence, we can summarise
in short terms what we conclude the proper approach is:
(i) There must not be an unfettered discretion for executive action. There must be controls
on the arbitrariness of that action. We must be satisfied that there exist adequate and
effective guarantees against abuse.
(ii) The nature of the rules fettering such discretion and laying down safeguards must be
clear and the ambit of them must be in the public domain so far as possible; there must be
an adequate indication or signposting, so that the existence of interference with privacy
may in general terms be foreseeable.
(iii) Foreseeability is only expected to a degree that is reasonable in the circumstances,
being in particular the circumstances of national security, and the foreseeability
requirement cannot mean that an individual should be enabled to foresee when the
authorities are likely to resort to secret measures, so that he can adapt his conduct
accordingly.
(iv) It is not necessary for the detailed procedures and conditions which are to be observed
to be incorporated in rules of substantive law.
(v) It is permissible for the Tribunal to consider rules, requirements or arrangements
which are 'below the waterline' i.e. which are not publicly accessible, provided that what is
disclosed sufficiently indicates the scope of the discretion and the manner of its exercise.
(vi) The degree and effectiveness of the supervision or oversight of the executive by
independent Commissioners is of great importance, and can, for example in such a case as
Kennedy, be a decisive factor.
As we concluded at paragraph 125 of Liberty/Privacy, there must be: "adequate arrangements in
place to ensure compliance with the statutory framework and the Convention and to give the individual
adequate protection against arbitrary interference, which are sufficiently accessible, bearing in mind
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