A data breach originating from a Ministry of Defence computer in February 2022 put tens of thousands of Afghan lives at risk, yet it was not acknowledged by ministers until August 2023. The MoD sought to suppress the information with a superinjunction, arguing for the safety of Afghan applicants seeking asylum. This approach prioritized the applicants' safety but raised issues regarding public interest and government transparency. After nearly two years of legal challenges, the superinjunction was lifted following an internal review that deemed the data breach no longer life-threatening.
The email containing a highly sensitive dataset was sent from a Ministry of Defence computer in February 2022, with ministers unaware of the problem until August 2023.
Judges deemed the risk severe enough to grant the MoD's request for an injunction on reporting the breach, labeling it a superinjunction, which usually protects personal privacy.
Mr Justice Robin Knowles prioritized the Arap applicants' right to safety over the press's freedom to report, raising concerns about transparency and government accountability.
Ministers regularly sought to renew the superinjunction, citing increasingly spurious premises, indicating a troubling pattern of eroding public accountability.
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