Legal intervention: Privacy International v Investigatory Powers Tribunal

We intervened in Privacy International’s case about whether decisions made by the Investigatory Powers Tribunal (IPT) can be reviewed by a High Court judge. The IPT hears claims about surveillance and breaches of rights by the security services.

The Government had argued that IPT decisions, however wrongly made, couldn’t be challenged because it hears sensitive confidential information that others should not.

We intervened in support of Privacy International, arguing that given the broad range of important cases the IPT hears – potentially impacting many people – it would be wrong for ordinary courts not to be able to correct any errors.

In May 2019 the Supreme Court ruled in Privacy International’s favour, and IPT decisions can now be judicially reviewed.