Statewatch has launched Networks of [in]security, a new, in-depth resource, funded by FICS initiative Civic Futures, which examines global counter-terrorism and security networks. It provides an evidence base for how security norms are implemented, their effects on human rights, and how civil society can push for change.

FICS has been supporting donors to take strategic action at the intersection of national security and civic space since it was identified by the more than 150 civic actors who took part in our 2020 global review as one of the most significant trends shaping the future of civic space. In 2022 FICS published a follow-on briefing paper revealing how counter-terrorism laws and policies across the globe are influenced by a staggering 250+ international agencies, with widely varying mandates and whom it is very difficult to scrutinize. This new resource from Statewatch is a vital and significant step forward in making these bodies, how they operate and can be influenced or challenged, visible to civil society and funders looking to counter security overreach and open civic space for progressive movements.

The resource takes a deep dive into travel surveillance and watchlists, analysing the evolution of norms and the bodies implicated, and what mechanisms are available in terms of accountability and redress at national and international levels. Travel surveillance has long been identified by the UNSR and other experts as having far reaching effects on civic space. For funders looking to safeguard their partners or identify strategic entry points at the intersection of national security and civic space, this new research identifies a clear cluster of implicated bodies, making accountability and reform feasible.

We look forward to drawing on and contributing to the Networks of [in]security project as a vital and growing body of work.

Access the research, a list of crucial questions calling for further inquiry, and a series of country case studies, on the dedicated microsite: Networks of [in]security.