مؤسسة ميزان لحقوق الإنسان

Organization for Human Rights Meezaan

Mizan: The Approval of the Biometric Cameras Law Has Dangerous Implications

Press Releases

The Mizan Center for Human Rights in Nazareth has warned of the consequences of a proposed law that infringes on citizens’ privacy by using facial recognition cameras in public spaces. The law allows security agencies to extract information from the cameras without the need for a court order.

This bill, which was recently approved by the Ministerial Committee for Legislation in a special session, has been supported by Israel’s Police Commissioner, Yaakov Shabtai, who claims it provides a necessary tool for the police as part of the government’s efforts to combat crime in the Arab community.

Mizan asserts that the passing of this law will lead to further violations of citizens’ privacy and increased restrictions on personal freedom under the guise of “fighting crime and violence” in the Arab community. It is important to note that the police, which have been negligent and complicit in addressing organized crime within the Arab community, are the same force that has been able to dismantle major criminal organizations and reduce crime rates within the Jewish community. This indicates that the police are capable of achieving tangible results when they choose to do so, without resorting to advanced technological tools that infringe on citizens’ privacy.

The use of biometric cameras to recognize faces in public spaces is not only for fighting crime; the real danger lies in the fact that it turns everyone into a subject of surveillance, with their every movement and activity monitored by security agencies. These agencies seek to gather detailed information about every individual for use in ways that could lead to significant privacy violations beyond what is necessary or justifiable.

It is certain that security agencies will not use this law only in exceptional cases, as is often the reality, because in many cases, they are the ones who violate and disregard the law. There is a high risk that this law will be misused, turning citizens into mere numbers with detailed records, exposing them to privacy violations and further restricting personal freedom in both public and private spaces. This mirrors the practices of dictatorial regimes that disguise themselves as democracies while undermining personal freedoms and rights.

Mizan Center for Human Rights – Nazareth
Tuesday, September 21, 2023

 

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