"Hikvision and Dahua Simply Cannot Be Trusted", Declares UK Camera Commissioner
This week, the UK's most prominent video surveillance official said Hikvision and Dahua "simply cannot be trusted", raising the stakes in a faceoff that has already received global attention (see the BBC (twice), the SCMP, The Telegraph) in the past few months.
Hikvision and Dahua have not answered Sampson's repeated questions about their Xinjiang involvement, fueling his push for the UK government to stop buying their equipment, even calling Hikvision "digital asbestos" earlier this month.
In Sampson's latest letter, he calls out the companies and notes he will be conducting a survey of local authorities who use their gear while pushing for the upcoming Procurement Bill to address these concerns.
"Simply ****** ** *******"
** **** **, ************ **************** * ************ ******* ****************** ********* *** ***** "*** *** to ******* *** *********** ******", ********** that *** ********* "****** ****** ** trusted" *** ***** "******** ******* ** engage **** **** *** **** ******* level ** ****** ************** ** ******** to ***** ********":
*** ****** *** ********* ************** ** *** ****** ********** **** *********** **************** *******, ******** ** *** ******* *********** *****,*** ******** ** ************* ********.
Hikvision & *****'* ******* ** ******* ** ******** *********
********* *** ******* ** ****** *******'* detailed ******** *********, ******** **** *** topic ** "************ *********". ***** *** **** ****** ** engage ******* ** **** *****: ** April ****,******* ***** ****** ******* **'* ********* ******** ******* ************** ** ** "***** ******* *** extent ** **** *******'* *********** ** those ***** *** *** ************ ******** that ******** ***** *********":
*******, ******* **** **** **** *** months *****, "* **** ** *** received ** ******** **** *****".
"Assured" *********** **** **** ******* ***** ******
*******'******* ********** ****** ** *** **** "******* by *********" **** *** ****** "**** be ********* ** *** ****** *********** Bill":
*******, ** ******* ******* ******* *** draft **** -***** ************ ****** - **** ******* ******** restrictions ** ********* *** ***** ** companies ******** ** ********.
Will ******* ***** *********** ****** "**********"
*******, *******'* ****** ********* **** ** will "******* ** ********** * ****** across ****** *** ***** *********** ** identify *** **** *** ******* ** these ************ *******":
******* **** **** **** "* ****** to **** *** ****** *** ********** and ** ******* *** ********* ******* within *** **** *******."
Impact ********
** *** ******** *** ********* *** Dahua **, **** ****** (*** *******'* survey) ***** **** **** ****** ***** strong ******** ** *** *******'* ******* video ************ ********, *** ******** ************** ******* ** *********, **** ********* ***** ***** ******** morale *** **** **** *****.
** *** **** ****, *******, ** far *** ** ************* ******** ******** * *** ** ********* *** Dahua **** *** ***** *** ***** no ***** ***** **** ** **** impose **** * ***. *** **** questions *** *** ** ******* **********'* Procurement **** **** ******* *** **** of ************ ** *** *********, **** Sampson's******** ******** *** * '***** ****** ******' failing.
Hikvision, ***** ** *******
******* ******* ********* ** ****'* ******* request, ** **** ** ** **** update **** ****.
****** *****, * ***** *********'* ******** of ******** ** ******* ** *** details ** * ******* ***. *** evidence ** ** *********** ******* **** (*** ****'* ********* **********) **** ****** ** *** ** push ******* *** **** ****** ****** are ***** **** *** ****** *** willing ** ****** ***** ******.
**** *******, ** ***** ** **** they *** ** **** ***** *** outlast ***. ********* ** * ***** PRC *****-********** ******; ******* ** * single ******. *** ******* ** ****** an ******* ****** ** ********** *** concerns ***** ***** *********.