Watching the watchers: strengthening public oversight of intelligence driven surveillance

Policy briefs, policy and legislative engagements

Policy briefs

 

Angola

Rui Verde, Policy brief - CEDESA, 2 December 2025

 

Botswana

Tachilisa Badala Balule, 'Surveillance of journalists in Botswana and its impact on media freedom', Media Institute of Southern Africa, 24 April 2026. 

 

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Trésor Maheshe Musole, 'Analyse des décisions judiciaires dans les domaines des droits de l'homme et du droit international humanitaire – Mars 2025 (Analysis of Judicial Decisions in the Fields of Human Rights and International Humanitarian Law – March 2025)' (analysis of Stanislas Bujakera case).

 

 

Mauritius

Sarah Chiumbu, ‘Smart ID cards in Mauritius: balancing rights and freedoms with national identification needs’ (with Christina Chan Meetoo), Intelwatch, August 2024

 

Namibia

Frederico Links, ‘No privacy, guaranteed: Namibia’s mass surveillance framework is flawed and open to abuse’, Institute for Public Policy Research, March 2024

 

Mozambique

Ernesto Nhanale, ‘Processo de legislação sobre Direitos Digitais, em Moçambique, deve garantir a protecção de dados, a privacidade e reduzir riscos de vigilância digital’ (Legislative process on digital rights in Mozambique must guarantee data protection, privacy and reduce risks of digital surveillance), Media Institute of Southern Africa Mozambique, November 2024

 

South Africa

Jane Duncan, ‘The future of bulk interception of digital communications: issues and policy options’, Intelwatch, January 2024 

 

Zimbabwe

Allen Munoriyarwa, ‘Not fit for purpose: Zimbabwe’s Interception of Communications Act (ICA)’, Media Institute of Southern Africa Zimbabwe, April 2024

 

Legislative engagement

 

Parliamentary submissions

 

South Africa

Jane Duncan, written and verbal submissions to the Portfolio Committee on Justice and Constitutional Development (a standing committee of the South African Parliament) and the National Council of Provinces, on the Regulation of Interception of Communication and Provision of Communication Related Information Amendment Bill B28-2023

Jane Duncan, written and verbal submissions to the ad-hoc committee on General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill (an ad-hoc committee of the South African Parliament) and the National Council of Provinces ad-hoc committee on the General Intelligence Laws Amendment Bill

 

Submissions to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights 

Submission #1: Survey of recent trends in surveillance technologies’ legislative and regulatory measures, and the associated impacts on HRDs in the Global South, March 31, 2026, by Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria, Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM), International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), Professor Jane Duncan, Emmanuel Magambo, Red en Defensa de los Derechos Digitales (R3D), Talal Raza (University of Melbourne), 0xche, and the University of California, Irvine School of Law International Justice Clinic

Submission #2: Examining the current proliferation of surveillance, with a focus on Human Rights Defenders’ lived experiences and resistance strategies in Global South countries, March 31, 2026, by Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria, Institute for Policy Research and Advocacy (ELSAM), International Center for Not-for-Profit Law (ICNL), Professor Jane Duncan, Emmanuel Magambo, Red en Defensa de los Derechos Digitales (R3D), Talal Raza (University of Melbourne), 0xche, and the University of California, Irvine School of Law International Justice Clinic

 

Amici curiae (European Court of Human Rights)

Javadov and Others v. Azerbaijan, Application No. 30573/22  Ganbarova v. Azerbaijan, Application No. 45877/22  Intervention as amici curiae by Jane Duncan, Professor, University of Glasgow;  Anneke Meerkotter, Executive Director, Southern Africa Litigation Centre (SALC);  Piers Pigou, Executive Director, IntelWatch;  David Kaye, Director, UCI Law International Justice Clinic