Bulgaria Licensed Surveillance Exports to Rights Violators
3 hours ago
- #human rights violations
- #surveillance exports
- #EU export controls
- Bulgaria licensed surveillance equipment exports (2018-2023) to countries likely to use it for repression or human rights abuses.
- EU governments, including Bulgaria, issue licenses without proper human rights due diligence, despite existing export control laws.
- Licenses covered exports to 15 countries, including Azerbaijan, Bahrain, UAE, and Israel, for clients like intelligence and police agencies.
- The licensed technology enables interception of communications, geolocation, and mass surveillance, raising risks of misuse against activists and journalists.
- Circles, the Bulgarian surveillance firm, is linked to spyware controversies, including sanctions and a founder convicted for illegal surveillance in Greece.
- EU regulations require member states to consider human rights records when approving exports, but enforcement is weak and transparency lacking.
- Both Bulgarian authorities and the European Commission are criticized for failing to control exports effectively, allowing surveillance tools to reach repressive regimes.