Transparency data

Letter from Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner to Ambassador Pierre-Richard Prosper, 16 August 2021 (accessible version)

Updated 15 November 2023

16 August 2021

Professor Fraser Sampson
Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner
2 Marsham Street
London SW1P 4DF

/surveillance-camera-commissioner

Ambassador Pierre-Richard Prosper Partner, Arent Fox LLP

Dear Ambassador Prosper

Hikvision Notes & Queries - August 2021

Further to Justin바카라 사이트檚 letter of 10 August 2021 which restates a number of the points from his original letter to Valued Partners that I queried, we need to clarify/note the following please:

Justin바카라 사이트檚 latest letter states that 바카라 사이트渨e do not oversee and control our devices once they are passed to installers바카라 사이트� Operational matters are not within our remit바카라 사이트�. This conveys the impression that Hikvision simply manufacture and supply cameras, however, there is documentary evidence that suggests otherwise. For example, the public procurement by Zhongzhao International Tendering Co Ltd. (ref. TC179H2TH) shared with our office refers to the award of a contract for the PiShan County Social Prevention and Control System. This contract is to work in close partnership with the government to 바카라 사이트淒esign, Build, Finance, Operate & Transfer the system. It refers to a 바카라 사이트渃o-operation system바카라 사이트� the contractual life cycle of which is 21 years, of which the construction period is 1 year. 바카라 사이트楥o-operation바카라 사이트� connotes actively and willingly working with others to achieve an outcome and the winning bidder and delivery partner for this high value (335.99m youan) 바카라 사이트榮ocial prevention and control programme바카라 사이트� is Hangzhou Hikvision System Technology Co. Ltd.

The tender award announcement goes on to describe the 바카라 사이트渞isk distribution structure바카라 사이트� under the terms of which the 바카라 사이트榗ommercial risks바카라 사이트� - such as design, 바카라 사이트�operation and maintenance - are borne by the winning bidder while 바카라 사이트渓egal and policy risks바카라 사이트� are for the government; force majeure risks are shared. Again, this is very clearly a joint enterprise arrangement under which operational matters are expressly within the company바카라 사이트檚 contractual remit, intended to last for two decades. It would help me considerably if Justin could confirm the role and contribution of Hikvision in this project and also the following Prevention and Control projects referred to in Hikvision바카라 사이트檚 Annual Report to Shareholders 2020: ^{[footnote 1]}

Urumqi High-Tech Zone (New Urban Area) Safe City and Surveillance System for Social Comprehensive Management

MoYu Security Protection & Prevention Control System

PiShan Security Protection & Prevention Control System

LuoP Security Protection & Prevention Control System

YuTian Safe City PPP Project Agreement

Justin goes on to reiterate that 바카라 사이트淗ikvision respects human rights and takes our responsibility to protect people seriously. Hikvision fully embraces and has implemented the foundational and operational principles laid out in the U.N. Guiding Principles of Business and Human Rights.바카라 사이트�

This is helpful as the Guiding Principles are of central relevance to the matters arising in the course of our correspondence. For example, they require States to take additional steps to protect against human rights abuses by business enterprises that are owned or controlled by the State (Principle 4) and that businesses should 바카라 사이트渟eek to prevent or mitigate adverse human rights impacts that are directly linked to their operations, products or services by their business relationships, even if they have not contributed to those impacts바카라 사이트�(Principle 13 emphasis added). The principles also require businesses to consider additional standards in some circumstances such as in the respect for the human rights of 바카라 사이트渋ndividuals belonging to specific groups or populations that require particular attention바카라 사이트�, such as indigenous peoples; women; national or ethnic, religious and linguistic minorities and children (Principle 12).

Perhaps most importantly here, the principles require that, in all instances, businesses should provide information that is sufficient to evaluate the adequacy of an enterprise바카라 사이트檚 response to the particular human rights impact involved (Principle 21 emphasis added) which could scarcely be more germane. My requests for such information are entirely consistent with this 바카라 사이트榝oundational principle바카라 사이트� and I am encouraged to see Hikvision바카라 사이트檚 commitment to providing it.

Finally, Justin refers to a 바카라 사이트榗ollaboration바카라 사이트� with my predecessor which, he says, was 바카라 사이트渋n large part about fostering trust in the surveillance industry바카라 사이트�. While I am unaware of the extent of any such collaboration I believe that fostering trust is critical to the effective operation of surveillance camera systems as envisaged by my statutory functions and it is to that end that I am trying to obtain clarity, specificity and transparency in what Justin acknowledges are serious matters.

Yours sincerely

Fraser Sampson, Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner

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