New Zealand Police Authorised to Wiretap Protest Group PAPA

In a statement of evidence provided to People Against Prisons Aotearoa’s lawyer, New Zealand Police appears to have wiretapped the phones of three PAPA organisers.

The authority to monitor the conversations and messages was established on November 22, 2016. This occurred during an occupation of a Department of Corrections office.

“At this stage we do not know if the surveillance has ended or the scope of the intrusion,” says PAPA spokesperson Emilie Rākete.

“This is a blatant breach of the basic human right to privacy. People with political beliefs inconvenient to the government deserve this right as much as everyone else.”

“It demonstrates the lengths to which the police are willing to go to undermine our organisation. This is a politically motivated attack by the New Zealand Police.”

The organisation is waiting for more information on the matter.