The EncroChat police hacking sets a dangerous precedent

On July 2, the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency announced that after a cross-nation investigation, more than 800 people were arrested in several European countries for illicitly trading in drugs and guns. The operation was launched after the French police managed to intercept messages on EncroChat, an encrypted messaging platform operated on modified Android devices. These arrests have been celebrated by police forces internationally, and have been breathlessly reported by media outlets, which have been quick to label those arrested “criminals” and “iconic untouchables”. The danger here is that, for a defendant facing a trial where the evidence is weak and methods questionable, they may still be convicted because a jury hears “encrypted chat” and thinks “criminal”. To protect the public, Europe’s police forces should rely on thorough investigations and reliable evidence, not shadowy hacking techniques and sensationalist headlines which erode justice and endanger our freedoms.