Court curbs German spies’ foreign Internet surveillance

Surveillance cameras on the grounds of the German Federal Intelligence Service (BND) in Berlin. Germany's foreign intelligence service is not allowed to spy on Internet data from foreigners abroad, the country's top court ruled on May 19, 2020 siding with a complaint brought by journalists overseas. — AFP

KARLSRUHE, Germany: Germany's foreign intelligence service violated the constitution by spying on Internet data from foreigners abroad, the nation's top court ruled Tuesday in a victory for overseas journalists who brought the case.

The BND agency's surveillance violates "the fundamental right to privacy of telecommunications" and freedom of the press, judges at the Constitutional Court in Karlsruhe said in their verdict.