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24
Aug 2022
'Deeply alarming': Harrogate council uses CCTV from Chinese Communist Party controlled firm
A leading civil liberties group has said it is 'deeply alarming' that Harrogate Borough Council uses CCTV cameras supplied by a company controlled by the Chinese Communist Party, and with links to the Uyghur 'genocide' in Xinjiang.
HIKVision CCTV cameras have already been banned in the United States over security concerns.
But a report from Big Brother Watch this year revealed almost three-quarters of local authorities use CCTV manufactured by the company, as do many NHS trusts, police forces and schools.
The council has 212 CCTV cameras in total across the district. They are in Harrogate, Knaresborough and Ripon town centres as well as at leisure centres such as the Hydro and Ripon's new Jack Laugher Leisure and Wellness Centre.
The Stray Ferret sent a freedom of information request to the council asking how many of these cameras were made by HIKVision and was told the number is 86.
HIKVision cameras come at the cheaper end of the market, making them a popular choice for cash-strapped local authorities but critics say they come with other, more sinister, costs.
As well as being used in Uyghur detention camps, software flaws have connected the CCTV cameras back to servers in China leading to fears about spying by the repressive state.
A CCTV camera — one of <span style="font-weight: 400;">212 in the district —</span> overlooking the Royal Hall.
Detention camps
The Uyghurs are a predominantly Muslim ethnic group in north west China who face persecution and oppression by the ruling Chinese Communist Party.
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have published reports that accused China of crimes against humanity. A UK-based independent tribunal last year ruled Beijing was guilty of genocide.
The BBC has captured evidence of HIKVision CCTV cameras being used to monitor the Uyghur population in the Xinjiang region, as well as in so-called 'detention camps' where it's estimated over a million Uyghurs have been locked up.
Last year, MPs on the foreign affairs committee published a report that said cameras made by Hikvision "have been deployed throughout Xinjiang, and provide the primary camera technology used in the internment camps".
Madeleine Stone, legal and policy officer at civil liberties group Big Brother Watch said:
China has denied all allegations of human rights abuses in Xinjiang.
Read more:
- Rise in empty homes adds pressure on Harrogate district housing market
- Council warns of ‘high risks’ as Kex Gill cost soars to £69m
Security concerns
As well as the ethical question marks around HIKVision cameras, there are also fears that the cameras could compromise security and be used for spying.
Whilst there is no direct evidence of HIKVision providing data gathered from CCTV cameras to the Chinese state, there was an instance in Italy last year where hundreds of HIKVision cameras suddenly started connecting to a server in China.
The incident in Italy was rare but Big Brother Watch has also reported other "security holes" in one of the company’s main remote viewing software tools that could connect directly to servers in the country.
A CCTV camera on Cambridge Street - one of <span style="font-weight: 400;">212 in the district.</span>
Chris Aldred, Liberal Democrat councillor for Fairfax and chair of the council's overview and scrutiny commission, said the security implications were potentially "very worrying" for the district. He said:
The council publishes an annual report about its use of CCTV but it does not mention who manufactures the cameras.
Cllr Aldred added:
Cllr Aldred said he will ask the council if it has concerns about HIKVision, and if it has plans to remove the cameras.
A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson said:
The Stray Ferret approached HIKVision for comment but we did not receive a response.
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