Lawyers To Argue David Miranda Was Unlawfully Detained at Heathrow Airport

Brazilian national and partner of Glenn Greenwald was detained for nine hours last summer

Lawyers for David Miranda, partner of the former Guardian journalist Glenn Greenwald, are at the high court to argue that his nine-hour detention by police at Heathrow airport in the summer was unlawful.

The claim, challenging controversial powers used under schedule 7 to the Terrorism Act 2000, maintains that Miranda was not involved in terrorism and says his right to freedom of expression was curtailed.

The Brazilian national was stopped as he passed through Heathrow airport on 18 August. He was in transit between Berlin and Rio de Janeiro after meeting the film-maker, Laura Poitras, who has been involved in breaking revelations based on documents leaked by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden.