German Court Rules Parts of NRW Police Law Unconstitutional

The Federal Constitutional Court mandates changes to surveillance laws, requiring stricter criteria for longer-term observations by 2025.

The Federal Constitutional Court declared parts of North Rhine-Westphalia's police law unconstitutional, citing insufficient safeguards for personal rights.
The court ruled that longer-term surveillance with photo or video recordings requires evidence of a 'concrete' or 'concretized' danger to justify such measures.
The case stemmed from a 2015 incident where a woman was photographed during the surveillance of her partner, a convicted right-wing extremist labeled as a 'threat.'
The court emphasized that current provisions in the law are too vague, allowing police excessive discretion without clear legal boundaries.
North Rhine-Westphalia has until December 31, 2025, to revise its police law, though stricter criteria for surveillance will apply immediately.