Earlier this year, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruled that the indefinite retention of the DNA profiles of individuals convicted of a criminal offence in Northern Ireland was a violation of Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights (the right to privacy).
A recent consultation proposes time limits on DNA record retention.
GeneWatch UK’s consultation response argues that, for non-serious offences, the time limit should correspond to the rehabilitation period (when an offence is regarded as spent).
The judgment is relevant to all 47 member states of the Council of Europe.