German court limits power of spy agency’s bugging overseas

KARLSRUHE, Germany (Reuters) – Germany’s Constitutional Court ruled on Tuesday that monitoring the internet traffic of foreign nationals abroad by the BND intelligence agency partly breaches the constitution.

The long-awaited ruling stated that internet surveillance of foreigners abroad violates the freedom of the press enshrined in the country’s constitution.

It is the first time the court has ruled that the BND is subject to Germany’s constitution even for its activities abroad and means that complaints brought by foreign journalists and Reporters Without Borders were largely successful.