Phantom Parrot

{{Short description|2023 documentary film by Kate Stonehill}}

{{Infobox film

| director = Kate Stonehill

| producer = Steven Lake

| editing = Vera Simmonds, Emiliano Battista

| music = Nainita Desai

| cinematography = {{Plainlist|

• Matt Bockelman
• JP Lewis
• Ronnie McQuillan
• Kate Stonehill}}

| studio = Brass Mill Media

| released = {{Film date|2023|03||CPH:DOX|ref1=https://deadline.com/video/phantom-parrot-cph-dox-clip-debut-director-kate-stonehill-ews/|2024|03|15|ref2={{cite web|url=https://phantomparrot.com/|website=phantomparrot.com|title=Phantom Parrot|access-date=2024-04-02}}|df=yes}}

| distributor = Tribeca Films

| runtime = 89 minutes

| country = United Kingdom

}}

Phantom Parrot is a 2023 documentary film that documents the ordeal of Muhammad Rabbani when he is arrested at the UK border. It was directed by Kate Stonehill.

Phantom Parrot tells the story of Muhammad Rabbani, a human rights activist who works with people who have been subject to torture and other human rights violations.{{cite web|url=https://tcij.org/person/muhammad-rabbani/|website=tcij.org|title=Centre for Investigative Journalism|access-date=2024-04-02}} Rabbani is stopped at the border and asked for the passwords of his electronic devices.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/mar/12/phantom-parrot-review-cautionary-tale-of-state-surveillance-and-the-war-on-privacy|title=Phantom Parrot review – cautionary tale of state surveillance and the war on privacy {{pipe}} Film|website=The Guardian|date=12 March 2024 |access-date=2024-04-02 |last1=Bradshaw |first1=Peter }} Rabbani refuses to give up his passwords and so is arrested under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act 2000.{{cite web|url=https://theintercept.com/2017/09/23/police-schedule-7-uk-rabbani-gchq-passwords/|website=theintercept.com|title=Heathrow Police Seek Passwords, Activist Refused, Faces Jail.|date=23 September 2017 |access-date=2024-04-02}} Rabbani is the director of CAGE (organisation), who fight against mass surveillance in the wake of the War on Terror.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/news/2023/jul/16/cage-director-banned-from-france-as-threat-to-public-order|title=Cage director banned from France as 'threat to public order' {{pipe}} France|website=The Guardian|date=16 July 2023 |access-date=2024-04-02 |last1=Weaver |first1=Matthew }} During the film, we learn that Rabbani's stop may have been targeted, as he had documents on his devices relating to individuals who had been tortured and mistreated by the American government.{{cite news|url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/sep/25/campaign-group-director-in-court-for-refusing-to-divulge-passwords|title=Campaign group chief found guilty of refusing to divulge passwords {{pipe}} UK news|website=The Guardian|date=25 September 2017 |access-date=2024-04-02 |last1=Bowcott |first1=Owen }} The film explores how individuals can be arrested and imprisoned simply for protecting data that relates to human rights violations.

The title Phantom Parrot refers to a government programme called Phantom Parrot, that was first discovered in a leaked document by Edward Snowden. The policy allows for targeted stopping of people at the border, under Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act, to download data from their devices.{{cite web|url=https://www.declassifieduk.org/phantom-parrot-the-secret-states-tool-for-mass-intelligence-gathering/|title='Phantom Parrot' – The secret state's tool for mass intelligence gathering|website=declassifieduk.org|date=20 September 2023 |access-date=2024-04-02}}