We'd like to thank you once again for your support, which was crucial in helping Dr Younes fighting back in court! After 2 preliminary victories (see here and here), a judge is now finally hearing Dr Younes’ case before the Berlin district court, after she filed a civil lawsuit against the organisations responsible for surveilling her and others.
Read more in our press release
Anna and the ELSC would like to take this opportunity to continue to amplify our message on the systemic repression and silencing of Palestinian voices and those of their allies. Given the state of the German legal system, we are not very optimistic about the outcome of the lawsuit but we do want to make a political point. That's why we need all the public support we can get.
Amplify the message on X/Twitter
On 2 November 2022, exactly three years after she discovered RIAS’ covert surveillance of her activities and after two legal victories, Dr Anna Younes launches two new lawsuits. She requests the Administrative Court of Berlin to find the preparation and transmission of the secret dossier on her unlawful, and she requests compensation. Read more here!
Thanks to collective efforts, Dr. Anna Younes, got a new positive decision!
2 years after RIAS/MBR circulated a secret dossier on Dr. Younes, which led to her exclusion from a public event, the Berlin Data Protection Authority finally issued a decision: RIAS/MBR violated data protection law. Their preparation and transmission of the dossier was neither journalistic nor scientific, therefore they had no basis to deny Dr. Younes’ access to her data. Read more in our press release: https://bit.ly/3A3h9Bo
But this is not over yet! RIAS/MBR previously acknowledged that the purpose of the dossier was to identify Dr. Younes’ positions on Israel and BDS. They secretly sent this dossier to get her disinvited. However, the DPA considered that this was lawful and that RIAS/MBR pursued a legitimate purpose in collecting and transmitting information about Dr. Younes.
We will appeal this decision. Do you want to help us?
Share the news on social media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and share the crowdfunding page: https://bit.ly/supportscholar
Thank you for your support!
Thanks to your support, Dr. Anna Younes, who faced digital surveillance and censorship, finally got justice after 2 years! On 6 May, a German court ruled in her favour. Read more in our press release: https://bit.ly/3NlfkDy
The court ordered the German state-funded organisation that legally represents RIAS Berlin and MBR to give access to the data these organisations gathered on her. The released information shows that RIAS collects people personal data based on their positions on Israel and BDS.
The two lawsuits, public pressure and your support really made the difference in pushing the Berlin Data Protection Authority and RIAS/MBR to finally recognise Dr. Younes’ right to access her data.
This is a victory for all scholars, activists and journalists who are facing surveillance and stigmatisation in Germany because they express support to Palestinian rights. Anna Younes will request RIAS and MBR damages in court. It also remains to be clarified whether they have been storing further data other than those revealed in the disseminated dossier. Therefore, the case is not over, and we also aim to tackle this structural issue of profiling Palestinian rights advocates in Germany. Anna is most likely one example among other individuals that might be surveilled as well.
What can you do now to keep supporting the case?
- Share our collective victory on social media: Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Linkedin
- Read and share Middle East Eye article on Dr.Younes’ case.
- Follow our updates and continue to support the case by donating & signing the support letter.
Thank you!