The Pegasus spyware revelations are horrifying!

According to a new investigation, at least 180 journalists in 20 countries, including 30 in France, have been targeted for surveillance by clients of NGO Group, the Israeli company that sells the Pegasus spyware. This company’s clients include autocratic governments such as those of Saudi Arabia, Algeria, Morocco and Bahrain, but all regions of the world are concerned.

The revelations about how this spyware is used inspire shock and revulsion, given the extent of the surveillance and targeting of journalists. No, NSO Group does not contribute to “global security and stability,” contrary to what the company claims. Pegasus is a vile and loathsome tool, invented by digital mercenaries and prized by “press freedom predators” for use in persecuting journalists.

Reporters Without Borders (RSF) began sounding the alarm about this spyware in 2017, notably after it was used to spy on Mexican journalists. In 2020, we branded NSO Group as a “digital predator” and contributed to WhatsApp’s lawsuit against the Israeli company in the United States.

We are now asking the justice systems in democratic countries to examine these shocking practices, to establish the facts and punish those responsible. On Tuesday, we joined Omar Brouksy and Maati Monjib, two journalists with French and Moroccan dual nationality who have been targeted by Pegasus, in filing a complaint with the prosecutor’s office in Paris. /BGNES