In a great hurry, security politicians are currently striving to drastically expand police powers in DNA analysis before the end of this legislative period. In a statement, 25 civil society organizations are protesting this highly questionable move. They criticize a misguided information policy, the violation of data protection rights and fear racist sentiment.

Press Release Gen-ethisches Netzwerk e.V.

* 25 organizations demand: No expansion of police powers in DNA analysis! *

(Berlin, April 25, 2017) On 27.04.2017, representatives of the coalition want to agree on the final version of the draft of the “Law for a more effective and practical design of criminal proceedings”, which is to be passed by the Bundestag already in May. The law is intended to allow the police to draw conclusions on the DNA of relatives of a sample donor in mass drug tests. In addition, further demands came from the Bundesrat, namely to legalize within the framework of this law also the prediction of eye, hair and skin colors via DNA analyses as well as the tests of so-called “biogeographical markers of origin”.

Susanne Schultz, a member of the board of the Gene Ethics Network, says: “These analyses do not allow any definite statements to be made; we are dealing here with probability calculations. These are not only methodologically highly problematic. With the kin search, the principle of voluntariness in mass gene tests is violated.” She further stated that as a result of the technically questionable analysis of physical characteristics and markers of origin, discriminated groups could become victims of smear campaigns. The organizations are protesting these planned expansions and are calling on officials to back away from the plans.

*Press contact* Susanne Schultz, GeN – Gen-ethisches Netzwerk e.V. Tel.: 0160/96715547 eMail: susanne.schultz@gen-ethisches-netzwerk.de

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