23/07/2015 (Agence Europe) - UN Human Rights Committee criticises French law on intelligence. On Thursday 23 July, the UN Human Rights Committee criticised the French law on intelligence because it believes that it gives “excessively broad surveillance powers” to the intelligence agencies. This committee consists of 18 independent experts and is in charge of examining whether the obligations contained within the international pact on civil and political rights are respected. It sent out its report on 10 July, according to the AFP news agency. In the report, the committee criticises the “vast and poorly defined basis of objectives” and the fact that intelligence activities can be carried out “without the prior authorisation of a judge and without an adequate and independent control mechanism”. The Independent French Council is expected to give its verdict on the legality of the text on Friday 24 July. The European Commission is awaiting this opinion so that it can decide what line it will adopt on this law, which has already been criticised, particularly at the European Parliament. (SP)