By Alice Clifford

Some councils have declared they will stop using CCTV cameras made by a company with links to alleged abuse at the hands of the Chinese government.

Sevenoaks, Tonbridge and Malling, and Tunbridge Wells have all confirmed they will stop using the cameras produced by Hikvision.

Two other authorities, Medway and Gravesham, said they are also considering making a similar change.

It comes amid fears the technology is being used to oppress minorities in the Far East.

The Chinese state-owned company has previously been accused of helping facilitate the alleged oppression of the Uyghurs, a Turkish ethnic group from Central and East Asia.

In 2021, the British government claimed that Hikvision CCTV cameras were the main camera technology used in internment camps in Xinjiang, which were set up to subjugate the Muslim Uyghur people.

Hikvision said its technology has never threatened the national security of the UK and that it respects human rights.

Xinjiang is an autonomous region of China, where the state has put over one million Uyghurs in camps to break their cultural traditions, it is alleged.

In 2020, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute claimed it had evidence of over 380 active camps in the province.

Now Tonbridge and Malling council has announced plans to get rid of all Hikvision cameras in its area.

A spokesperson said: “We have 157 CCTV cameras. Prior to 2019 we used a number of Hikvision cameras but when we signed a new contract that year, we stipulated that no new Hikvision cameras were to be installed and we would not use them to replace cameras as and when that was required.

"We currently have 29 Hikvision cameras remaining and expect that figure to reduce to zero over the next few years.”

Sevenoaks council said it has not used the company for over four years.

A council spokesman said: “Since 2018, we have not purchased any equipment from Hikvision."

He said: “Its equipment is not banned from being sold or used in this country and remains in widespread use across Government and the public sector.

“But we have been clear that we will not purchase Hikvision cameras in the future and we will remove its cameras from our network as our systems are updated or in the event the advice from Central Government changes.”

Tunbridge Wells has also joined the boycott, saying that it currently only used the Chinese devices in buildings and estates rather than in public areas.

Cllr Nancy Warne, deputy leader of Tunbridge Wells council, said: “We do not currently use Hikvision cameras in any of our public realm spaces, but their equipment is used in our buildings and estates for reasons of cost-effectiveness.

"When it is time to replace that equipment, the council will look for alternative manufacturers who can provide similar technology.”

The majority of cameras used in the Medway and Gravesham CCTV partnership are still made by Hikvision, but the councils are considering making a change.

A Medway spokesman said: “The CCTV Partnership is aware of the allegations and has currently paused installing any new Hikvision cameras until we receive clarification from the government and the Office of the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner (OBSCC) on this matter.”

However, Dover District Council does not plan on replacing any cameras.

A spokesperson said: "Dover District Council complies with Home Office guidelines and all relevant legislation on the use of CCTV.

"The system in use across the Dover district was upgraded in 2019 following a competitive tender undertaken in 2018."

He said: "While the system does use Hikvision cameras, the council has no contracts with the company itself.

"Hikvision cameras were recommended by the contractor who was awarded the tender. There are no current plans to replace the cameras."

"Hikvision takes all reports regarding human rights very seriously and recognizes our responsibility for protecting people."

Hikvision said its technology has never threatened the national security of the UK and that it respects human rights.

A spokesman for the firm said: "Technical analysis of Hikvision products have never indicated they are a threat to the national security interests of United Kingdom.

"It is regrettable that some individuals have been willing to politicise a critical element of the country's security architecture, thus reducing public trust in the vital work that our products support."

The company said: "Hikvision does not store end users' video data, does not offer cloud storage in the UK and therefore cannot transmit data from end users to third parties.

"Hikvision cameras are compliant with the applicable UK laws and regulations and are subject to strict security requirements.

"Hikvision takes all reports regarding human rights very seriously and recognizes our responsibility for protecting people.

"As a market leader, Hikvision is committed to upholding the highest standards and respect for human rights."