More information
If you need any clarification about these
issues, or would like further information,
you can talk to one of the contact persons
below, or any other trusted member of
your community. You can also provide
feedback or complain to the intelligence
agencies themselves or to the Inspector
General of Intelligence and Security.

Contacts
Deborah Manning — Lawyer 021 344 328
Amro Mohamed — Lawyer 021 0911 3454
New Zealand Security Intelligence Service: 0800
SIS 224 (0800 747 224)
Government Communications and Security
Bureau (04) 472 6881
Inspector-General of Intelligence and Security:
(04) 817 0402

Your Rights when
dealing with the
NZSIS
The New Zealand Security Intelligence Service
and the Government Communications and
Security Bureau are our intelligence agencies
whose job is national security – to protect New
Zealand and keep New Zealanders safe.
These intelligence agencies respond to threats
to public safety, including potential threats from
individuals and groups who hold strong religious
or political views. They may want to talk to you,
your friends or family.

 Your Rights
You are free to decide whether or not to
speak to the NZSIS.
There is no penalty for not speaking with
the NZSIS and if you do decide to speak to
the NZSIS, you can decide to stop at any
time. You are not under arrest or being
detained –the NZSIS cannot arrest, detain
or charge you.
If you have security concerns about members
of your community, you may want to discuss
these issues with a trusted family member or
a member of the community before talking
to the intelligence agencies or the Police.
It is not illegal to hold strong political or
religious views. However, it is a crime to
prepare or plan to carry out acts of violence
against people or property. It is also a crime to
have or to spread information that promotes
political or religious violence.
The intelligence agencies have no power to
enforce the law. They are able to interview
you, if you wish, but they have no powers to
arrest, detain or charge you. If they want to
do so, they have to involve the police, who
will make their own decision about what they
do.

If you are approached by an intelligence officer,
you may wish to co-operate and provide any
information you wish about threats to public
safety. However, the information you provide
may be used in legal proceedings against
you or others. You should also be aware
of your rights when talking to intelligence
officers:

5.  You have a right to understand and be
understood when you interact with
intelligence officers. If you need a
translator, you can ask for one.

1. Intelligence officers have to say why
they are interviewing you and provide
you with any information that they are
holding about you.

7.  If a person advises you they work for the
New Zealand Security and Intelligence
Service they have to provide you with a
way to confirm this.

2. Intelligence officers have to make it clear
they do not have the power to arrest,
detain, charge or prosecute you, and that
any interview is simply an opportunity for
you to provide information to help their
investigation or work.

8.  You have the right to request a record of
the interview, and to fix any errors in it.

3. If you do not want to talk to an intelligence
officer, you have a right to “remain
silent” - to say nothing and ask not to be
contacted further about this.
4. You have a right to representation. You
can have a lawyer, parent or community
leader present with you when you talk
to an intelligence officer. If you do want
representation, tell the intelligence officer
this and make arrangements for that
representative or support person to be
present.

6.  You have a right not to feel threatened.
You are entitled to ask questions and to
be clear about what is happening.

9.  Intelligence officers have no power to
issue warnings to you or anyone else.