“It ignores a massive infringement of basic rights of the whole population,” a joint statement said on Thursday.
The groups said there is a real risk that the use of the surveillance technology will spread fast across Europe and that the Swiss authorities will soon approve the legal basis in the country.
Some police forces already apply the controversial face recognition tools, the NGOs claim.
“This is a worrying step towards a comprehensive and permanent system of mass surveillance. The target are not only criminals but the entire population,” said Erik Schönenberger of the Digital SocietyExternal link.
The installation of video cameras in public places continues to be a hotly debated issue. Supporters of the technology argue electronic surveillance can help ensure security.
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Parliament rejects video surveillance for slaughterhouses
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Wednesday’s decision came in response to accusations of animal rights organisations of abuses in Swiss abattoirs. Social Democrat Senator Daniel Jositsch had presented a proposal based on an inspection of 67 slaughterhouses between January 2018 and March 2019. That review concluded that the control of stunning and bleeding was either not carried out or incorrectly…
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