Phantom Parrot

On his way home from a research trip, civil rights activist Muhammad Rabbani is questioned at the London airport. When he refuses to give the passwords to his electronic devices, he is threatened with imprisonment. Portrait of a dedicated defender of privacy, and of the far-reaching surveillance powers of governments.

Muhammad Rabbani is the Director of CAGE, an organisation that fights human rights violations in the ‘War On Terror’. He is trusted with highly sensitive personal information by people in vulnerable situations. One day, returning to the UK from an overseas trip, he is stopped at the border and questioned. He is told that he is required to hand over the passwords to his electronic devices. He refuses.

Phantom Parrot reveals a covert form of surveillance involving collaboration between the tech industry, police and security services. With insight provided by people who work with these technologies, this film is a must-see for anyone who cares about civil liberties in the digital age.