Rand Hammoud is the Director of CDT Europe’s Security, Surveillance and Human Rights Programme and Regional Encryption Lead, where she leads advocacy to strengthen democratic oversight of surveillance, defend encryption, and advance safeguards for privacy, equality, and the rule of law in the digital age, in addition to working with civil society partners and engaging policymakers, regulators, and companies across Europe and globally.
Previously, she served as Global Lead for Surveillance at Access Now, where she built and led the organisation’s spyware and targeted surveillance portfolio, shaping strategy, strengthening cross-ecosystem coordination, and driving advocacy that helped move the field from exposure toward consequences and durable guardrails. Her work has spanned global accountability efforts, including advocacy around restrictive measures, as well as ecosystem initiatives on investor advocacy and corporate accountability.
Her previous experience includes human rights research and campaigning with Amnesty International, with a focus on international human rights law and international humanitarian law in conflict-affected contexts, documenting violations and supporting advocacy for accountability and justice.
Responding to the EU-US Negotiations on Reciprocal Data Exchanges for Border Procedures
CDT Europe, together with 29 other civil society organisations and academics, sent an open joint letter to the Council of the EU regarding the worrying direction taken by the European Commission in the EU-US border negotiations with the U.S. government.
Open Joint Letter on a Public Reassessment of the EU-US Adequacy Decision
On 29 June, the US Supreme Court ruled that US President Trump can remove the leaders of independent agencies and commissions, overturning nearly 90 years of precedent limiting executive power. This decision raises serious questions about one of the key safeguards underpinning the EU-US Data Privacy Framework adopted in 2023: independent supervision.
Return of Mass Scanning of Private Communications through Undemocratic Procedure
CDT Europe responds to the European Parliament's vote to revive the interim derogation from the ePrivacy Directive, commonly known as “Chat Control 1.0”, which provides the legal basis for the voluntary, indiscriminate scanning of private communications for known and new Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), and for the solicitation of children.
Joint Statement: Pegasus in the European Parliament, the EU Must Act Now
CDT Europe is publishing a joint statement with civil society organisations and individual signatories calling on the EU institutions to regulate spyware technologies after the 2026 Citizen Lab revelations.
French: ‘Chat Control’: how did the much-criticised legislation to combat child sexual abuse, which was initially rejected by the European Parliament, end up being adopted?
