UN Human Rights Committee expected to question Ireland's plans for facial recognition

Irish officials may be questioned over the country's plans for facial recognition technology for surveillance during a session with the United Nations Human Rights Committee in Geneva this week. The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) has submitted a Shadow Report on what they determine as gaps between the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the reality in Ireland, plus recommendations to rectify them. The group also blames Irish authorities for failing to uphold GDPR, thus allowing surveillance to remain business as usual for digital companies worldwide. The ICCL report, an alternative to the report submitted by the Irish state, is endorsed by 37 organizations and has identified gaps across areas such as the right to a fair trial and freedom from torture, as well as three breaches involving police surveillance and six across data protection. The UN Human Rights Committee meets every four years and countries are invited in turn to defend their human rights provision.