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Strasbourg, Jul. 24 (DPnet).– Ben Bradshaw, Caroline Lucas, and Alyn Smith presented a complaint before the European Court of Human Rights against the United Kingdom for lack of proper response to alleged interference by Russia in the United Kingdom’s democratic processes, including the 2019 general election. 

The applicants complained that, despite the existence of credible allegations that Russia had sought to interfere in the UK’s democratic elections, through, for example, the dissemination of disinformation and the running of influence campaigns, the Government had failed to fulfil its duty (“positive obligation”) to investigate those allegations and had not put in place an effective legal and institutional framework in order to protect against the risk of such interference.

However, the Court found that, while States should not remain passive when faced with evidence that their democratic processes were under threat, they must be given considerable latitude in their choice of how to counter such threats. In the Court’s view, while there were undoubtedly shortcomings in the UK’s initial response to the reports of Russian election interference, there had been two thorough and independent investigations, and the Government had since taken several legislative and operational measures to counter disinformation efforts and protect the democratic integrity of the UK. Any failings were therefore not sufficiently grave as to have impaired the very essence of the applicants’ right under Article 3 of Protocol No. 1 to benefit from elections held “under conditions which ensure the free expression of the opinion of the people.”

by Danny Bradbury    

Jul. 14.– Deepfake attacks aren’t just for recruitment and banking fraud; they’ve now reached the highest levels of government. News emerged this week of an AI-powered attack that impersonated US Secretary of State Marco Rubio. Authorities don’t know who was behind the incident.

A US State Department cable seen by the Washington Post warned that someone impersonated Rubio’s voice and writing style in voice and text messages on the Signal messaging app. The attacker reportedly tried to gain access to information or accounts by contacting multiple government officials in Rubio’s name. Their targets included three foreign ministers, a US governor, and a US member of Congress, the cable said.

The attacker created a Signal account with the display name ‘Marco.Rubio@state.gov’ and invited targets to communicate on Signal.

• The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) met in Strasbourg from 23 to 27 June.

Strasbourg, June 30 (DPnet).– The current situation in Ukraine, Georgia's reversal of democracy, and lawyer protection were among the major problems that the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) discussed in 2025.  PACE also discussed the difficulties of migration and the importance of social media in preserving freedom of expression.  A new treaty to safeguard the legal profession was also approved by PACE. 

Here's additional information:

Russia's invasion of Ukraine:

 President Zelenskyy visited the Council of Europe and spoke to the Assembly on the ongoing conflict.  PACE also discussed the issue of unlawfully detained civilians and POWs, as well as the necessity of stopping Russian aggression. 

Georgia's Democratic Reversal:

PACE discussed the observation of Georgia elections and urged the government to implement earlier recommendations and reestablish collaboration with the Council of Europe, while denouncing Georgia's swift democratic backsliding.

[Russia's invaded territories are shown on the map.]

A thorough look from 1995 up to the present

The Allied Democratic Forces (ADF) was created in 1995 and initially operated in the mountainous border region between the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Uganda. According to the United Nations Group of Experts on the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (“GoE”) 2013 final report, citing Ugandan officials and UN sources, in 2013 the ADF had an estimated strength of 1,200 to 1,500 armed fighters located in north-east Beni Territory of North Kivu province, close to the border with Uganda. These same sources estimate ADF’s total membership —including women and children— to be between 1,600 and 2,500. These numbers have considerably increased in recent years.

While the ADF’s ideology has historically contained some Salafi-jihadist elements, it has also recruited along secular ethnic lines and is deeply entrenched in the broader political and economic dynamics of the Rwenzori border region between Uganda and the DRC. In 2019, the Islamic State claimed responsibility for an ADF attack and first referenced a “Central Africa Province” under their control. These developments raise questions about the extent of the relationship between the ADF and the Islamic State. The ADF’s proven adaptability and resiliency likely signify a continued and potentially increasing threat to civilians, security forces, and UN peacekeepers.

The ADF has released increasing amounts of propaganda that reflects ideological alignment with the Islamic State. This includes an increased focus on efforts to kill Christian and other non-Muslim civilians. Additionally, the Islamic State’s propaganda apparatus has released multiple videos showing life inside ADF camps, including celebrations of Eid al-Adha. Within ADF camps, the organization enforces its own interpretation of sharia law and also runs an Islamic banking system into which members are obligated to deposit their money. 

The ADF has recruited and used child soldiers in violation of applicable international law.