Stop the DNA Collection Frenzy Stop the DNA Collection Frenzy! A campaign of the Gen-ethical Network Berlin Susanne Schultz Structure of the talk: The police DNA database in Germany The “Prüm process” and international cooperation The campaign

DNA database in Germany Central DNA database of federal police since 1998: all people accused or convicted of criminal offences (also repeated theft etc.) and with „negative prediction “ End of 2010: 710.000 personal profiles in database Up to 98% of DNA profiles stored without judicial order („voluntary“) Lack of independent control (the data protection officer of Badem Württemberg 2007: 42% of random sample checked hurted legal criteria and had to be deleted) Dragnets – case of family searching

EU „Prüm process“ Automatic exchange between police DNA databases Initiated by German Minister of Interior Otto Schily From contract between few countries (2005) AT, DE, LUX, NL, BE, FR, ES to EU Prüm decision 2008 (27 countries) 26 of August of 2011: Date for tecnical implementation Problems of implementation, Problems of false matches, 90 % of matches property offenses Model for transatlantic bilateral cooperation (contract between US and German government 2008)

Expansion of EU DNA databases (Eric Töpfer)

Campaign: Stop the DNA collection frenzy! (Gen-ethical Network)

Elements of the campaign Cinema trailer Actions with huge cotton swab Open letter Webpage (www.handsoffmyDNA.eu) Conferences

Open letter to Minister of Justice Together with data protection and civil rights organizations: Day of the Grundgesetz (23 of May) Demands: We demand a revision of the law that will significantly limit the ability of police to create and store DNA-profiles! We demand independent and viable oversight of the police, as well as binding rules -- subject to independent verification – governing the routine deletion of data. We demand robust rules prohibiting the use of DNA-samples in police investigations in order to gather evidence about family members and biological characteristics We demand an immediate stop to projects involving the international exchange of data, such as the agreement with the USA on transatlantic data exchange!

Experiences and challenges of the campaign No main issue for public data protection debate (no feeling of being affected) Subtle expansion without current legal reform Anti-repression groups only interested in individual cases Where are the limits? We opt for a general position in favor of rehabilitation and against criminalization (and for abolishing central state DNA-databases generally) Interested affected communities – more legal education required Which crimes are negotiated? International exchange – different situations and focusses