http://www.acri.org.il/en/2013/04/24/ag-tourists-israel-emails/ Attorney General: Touristsb Emails Can be Searched at Israelbs Borders Update:April 24, 2013 Photo by Tal Dahan In response to an inquiry from ACRI regarding reports of authorities requiring access to touristsb email accounts before allowing them into the country, the Attorney Generalbs office has confirmed its approval of the practice. Attorney Lila Margalit, Director of Human Rights in the Criminal Process Program at the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) wrote a letter to Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein in June 2012, following reports in the news and in social media of foreign nationals visiting Israel being asked by the GSS (b Shin Betb) for access to their personal email accounts during interrogations in Ben Gurion Airport. According to media reports at the time, a visitor who refused was denied entry, as was a visitor who complied. In a response dated April 24, 2013, the Attorney Generalbs office confirmed this practice, asserting that such searches are made in exceptional cases where b relevant suspicious signsb are observed, and that they are conducted with the foreign nationalbs b consentb. However, the Attorney Generalbs office also noted that while a tourist may refuse such a search, b it will be made clear to him that his refusal will be taken into consideration along with other relevant factors, in deciding whether to allow him entry to Israel.b ACRI Attorney Lila Margalit said in response: b A tourist who has just spent thousands of dollars to travel to Israel, only to be interrogated at the airport by Shin Bet agents and told to grant access to their email account, is in no position to give free and informed consent. Such b consentb, given under threat of deportation, cannot serve as a basis for such a drastic invasion of privacy. In todaybs world, access to a personbs email account is akin to access to their innermost thoughts and personal lives. Allowing security agents to take such invasive measures at their own discretion and on the basis of such flimsy b consentb is not befitting of a democracy.b Related Links Invasive Email Searches in Airports Contradict Israeli Law http://www.acri.org.il/en/2012/06/06/email-searches-in-airports/ Invasive Email Searches in Airports Contradict Israeli Law Update:June 6, 2012 Ben-Gurion Airport, photo by Beny Shlevich, CC-by-SA Following recent reports, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) emphasizes that the demand made by the Israeli GSS to internationals visiting Israel, that they provide their email account password to security authorities, contradicts Israeli law. The law outlines severe restrictions regarding the circumstances under which this can be done, and even conditions it on a judicial order. According to recent reports in the news and in social media, foreign nationals visiting Israel have been asked by the GSS (b Shin Betb), during interrogations in Ben Gurion Airport, to access their personal email or Facebook accounts so that the interrogators can retrieve information relating to their planned visits. A few visitors were then denied entry. See for example coverage on Haaretz in English and the Associated Press. According to these reports, the GSS claims that the actions taken by the agents during questioning were within the organizationbs authority according to Israeli law. However, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) states that, contrary to this claim, this is an illegal practice. b Invading a computer or an email account constitutes a grave violation of privacy and dignity,b says ACRI attorney Lila Margalit. b Therefore, Israeli law contains strict provisions regarding the circumstances under which this can be done b and even conditions it on a judicial order. The demand made to internationals visiting Israel, that they provide their email account password to security authorities sounds like something that could be expected in totalitarian regimes.b