Dictators and oppressive regimes the planet over buy billions of dollars worth of digital surveillance technology from Western companies every year. Which results in direct violation of the human rights of the citizens of such states – often with the full awareness of those doing the selling. In particular, this equipment is used to identify and then repress dissidents and journalists. The panel will provide direct personal testimony of this issue in the figure of Dlshad Othman – and will emphasize how important it is today for journalists to be obsessively prudent when on their mobile phone or laptop.
