The International Conference on Fundamental Rights and Criminal Procedure in the Digital Age is promoted by InternetLab with the institutional support of the Law School of the University of São Paulo (FDUSP) since 2017, to foster debates on the intersection between criminal procedure and technology, addressing the challenge of keeping procedural safeguards updated.

This year, the conference theme will be “Democracy and investigative capabilities in the digital era”, covering topics related to platform regulation, the use of spyware tools, encryption, and the use of digital evidence. The panels will include privacy experts, academics in criminal law and criminal procedure, state agents, as well as representatives from the private sector and civil society. The event will conclude with a roundtable discussion about current legislative debates regarding the use of digital evidence, within the scope of the reform of the Criminal Procedure Code and the application of Data Protection Law to the penal sphere.

In the event, InternetLab will also release the sixth volume of “Fundamental Rights and Criminal Procedure in the Digital Age: doctrine and practice under debate”, a book that gathers articles about the topics discussed by speakers during the VI Conference.

The event marks the launch of the sixth volume of the book “Fundamental Rights and Criminal Procedure in the Digital Age: doctrine and practice in debate”, which brings together articles and contributions from the 6th Congress, held last year.

This year, there will also be a partnership between InternetLab, Finos Filmes and Belas Artes, which will occur throughout the Congress. On 28.08, there will be a preview of “Ithaka: A Fight to Free Julian Assange”, a documentary that follows the story of John Shipton, Julian Assange’s father, as he fights for his son’s release. Assange, founder of Wikileaks and one of today’s most prominent political prisoners, is responsible for publishing a series of secret US government documents, resulting in his imprisonment.

The session will be followed by a debate with John Shipton, Natália Viana and Rodolfo Avelino and the event will occur at Petra Belas Artes, in São Paulo, at 19:30. Tickets can be purchased at the box office and on the website, ranging from R$10 to R$20 reais. In addition, four films on the theme of surveillance and democracy will be available for free on the Belas Artes à La Carte website between August 29 and September 2. The films are:

To Be or Not to Be // 1946
In 1940s Nazi-occupied Poland, Josef Tura, a vain actor and director of a theatre company, is in constant conflict with his wife Maria, the group’s leading actress. They realise there is something more important to do: help the Polish resistance. So they get involved in espionage and pretend, along with other theatre members, to be members of the Gestapo.

The Big Heat //1953
A policeman seems to have committed suicide, but Detective Dave Bannion thinks there is more to the story. After talking to the man’s mistress, who is connected to the mafia, the detective discovers that the corruption extends from the police station to the boss, Mike Lagana. When the policeman’s mistress is also killed, it becomes clear that going against Lagana is dangerous. Soon, Detective Bannion and his family are in danger.

When Father Was Away on Business // 1985
Defending Stalinist ideals right after Marshal Tito, the then leader of Yugoslavia, broke with Stalin, the Russian dictator, was not the best of ideas. After publishing an inopportune cartoon of his, Mesa is sent to a forced labour camp, a prison far from his family – who believe that his father is on a “business trip”. Bewildered, young Malik, Mesa’s son, tries to deal with the crisis facing his family and country as best he can while beginning to discover love.

Operation Camanducaia // 2020
The story of 93 boys arrested in São Paulo and taken to Minas Gerais during the military dictatorship.