UK Ministry of Defence Faces Mounting Legal Challenge Over Afghan Data Leak Compensation Refusal

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is standing firm on its decision not to compensate thousands of Afghans whose personal details were leaked in a major data breach, a move prompting significant legal action and renewed fears among those affected. Despite revelations that the names and sensitive information of over 19,000 individuals were compromised, many of whom now fear Taliban retribution, the MoD maintains it will “robustly defend against any legal action or compensation claims.”

This steadfast refusal follows the recent lifting of a super-injunction that had previously made it illegal to publicise the leak or even acknowledge the court order’s existence. The injunction’s removal came after the completion of an independent review, known as the Rimmer review, which controversially concluded that it is “highly unlikely that merely being on the spreadsheet would be grounds for an individual to be targeted.”

However, the human cost of the leak is becoming increasingly apparent. One former Afghan interpreter, identified as Ahmed, who now resides in the UK, recently discovered his family members still in Afghanistan were on the leaked list. His relatives are reportedly “moving home to home” and “keeping low profiles” in an effort to protect themselves. Ahmed dismissed the idea of compensation, instead pleading for swift government action to evacuate his family to Britain or a safe third country.

Legal challenges are escalating, with Barings Law preparing a major lawsuit on behalf of over 1,000 Afghan clients. The leak, which occurred in February 2022 when an unnamed official emailed the sensitive spreadsheet outside of the government’s secure system, only came to public light in August 2023. The ongoing situation highlights the profound and distressing impact of the breach on vulnerable individuals caught between a past allegiance and a present threat.

阅读中文版 (Read Chinese Version)

Disclaimer: This content is aggregated from public sources online. Please verify information independently. If you believe your rights have been infringed, contact us for removal.