International coalition calls for withdrawal of Dutch hacking plans

A international coalition of more than 40 civil rights organizations and security experts is “gravely concerned” about a Dutch proposal to break into foreign computers and search and delete data. In a letter handed over by Dutch digital rights organization Bits of Freedom to the minister of Security & Justice today, the coalition urgently calls upon the minister to withdraw his proposal. The proposal will be debated in Dutch parliament this week.

The proposal would grant powers to the Dutch police to break into computers, including those located in other countries, in order to search and delete data and install spyware. The Dutch government argues that the new powers are required to effectively combat cybercrime in the Netherlands.

According to the international coalition, the proposal poses serious risks to the human rights and cybersecurity of individuals worldwide. This is aggravated by the fact that countries will likely follow the initiative of the Netherlands. This will lead to a situation where countries will enforce their local laws on foreign computers. These local laws would not solely address cybercrime, but also issues deemed illegal in other countries, such as blasphemy and political criticism.

The coalition strongly urges the minister to withdraw his proposal. The letter is signed by more than 40 members of civil society (see below). These include civil rights organizations such as the Electronic Frontier Foundation (US), Privacy International (UK) and European Digital Rights (EU). In addition, renowned security-experts and software developers Bruce Schneier (US), Richard Stallman (US) and Ron Deibert (Canada) signed the letter.

List of signatories:

April – FranceAccess – InternationalAgorà Digitale – ItalyAlternative Informatics Association – TurkeyArticle 19 – UKAssociation for Technology and Internet – RomaniaBitbureauet – DenmarkBits of Freedom – NetherlandsBruce Schneier – USChaos Computer Club – GermanyCivil Rights Society Vrijbit – NetherlandsDigitalcourage (FoeBuD) – GermanyDigitale Gesellschaft – GermanyDigital Rights – IrelandElectronic Frontier Finland – FinlandElectronic Frontier Foundation – International, USEuropean Digital Rights (EDRi) – EuropeFoundation for Information Policy Research (FIPR) – UKFree Press Unlimited – NetherlandsGlobal Voices – InternationalHumanistic Association – NetherlandsImaginons un réseau Internet solidaire (IRIS) – FranceInternational Modern Media Institute (IMMI) – IcelandInternet Protection Lab – NetherlandsInternet Society – BulgariaIT-Political Association of Denmark – DenmarkIuridicum Remedium (IuRe) – Czech RepublicLa Quadrature du Net – Europe, FranceNet Users’ Rights Protection Association – BelgiumNetzpolitik – GermanyNo2-ID Foundation – NetherlandsOpen Rights Group – UKpadeluun – GermanyPanoptykon Foundation – PolandParents Online – NetherlandsPlatform for the Protection of Civil Rights – NetherlandsPrivacy First Foundation – NetherlandsPrivacy International – UKQuintessenz – AustriaRichard Stallman – USRon Deibert, Director, The Citizen Lab and Canada Centre for Global Security Studies, University of Toronto – CanadaStatewatch – UKThe Tor Project – USVrijschrift / ScriptumLibre – Netherlands

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