🧵NSO's spyware has been used to facilitate human rights violations on a massive scale, acc. to a major investigation into 50k leaked phone numbers of potential surveillance targets, inc. politicians, activists, journalists, inc. Jamal Khashoggi’s family. amnesty.org/en/latest/news…
The #PegasusProject is a collaboration by >80 journalists from 16 media organizations in 10 countries coordinated by @FbdnStories, a Paris-based media non-profit, with the technical support of @AmnestyTech, who conducted cutting-edge forensic tests on mobile phones.
“The Pegasus Project lays bare how NSO’s spyware is a weapon of choice for repressive governments seeking to silence journalists, attack activists and crush dissent, placing countless lives in peril,” said @AgnesCallamard.
“These revelations blow apart any claims by NSO that such attacks are rare and down to rogue use of their tech. While the company claims its spyware is only used for legitimate criminal and terror investigations, it’s clear its tech facilitates systemic abuse.” @AgnesCallamard
@AgnesCallamard Until this company and the industry as a whole can show it is capable of respecting human rights, there must be an immediate moratorium on the export, sale, transfer and use of surveillance technology. Take action here: amnesty.org/en/get-involve… #ProjectPegasus
.@amnestytech Security Lab established that Pegasus spyware was successfully installed on the phone of Khashoggi’s fiancée Hatice Cengiz just 4 days after his murder. His wife, Hanan Elatr was also repeatedly targeted with the spyware between September 2017 & April 2018.
🇲🇽The #PegasusProject identified at least 25 Mexican journalists were selected for targeting over a 2-year period.
🇦🇿>40 Azerbaijani journalists were selected as potential targets. Phone of Sevinc Vaqifqizi, a freelance journalist was infected over a 2-year period until May 2021
🇦🇿>40 Azerbaijani journalists were selected as potential targets. Phone of Sevinc Vaqifqizi, a freelance journalist was infected over a 2-year period until May 2021
🇮🇳 In India, at least 40 journalists frm nearly every major media outlet in the country were selected as potential targets between 2017-2021. Forensic tests revealed the phones of Siddharth Varadarajan & MK Venu from @thewire_in were infected with Pegasus as recently as June 2021
The investigation also identified journalists working for major international media including @AP, @CNN, @nytimes and @Reuters as potential targets .One of the highest profile journalists was Roula Khalaf @khalafroula, the editor of @FT.
"The Pegasus Project revelations must act as a catalyst for change. The surveillance industry must no longer be afforded a laissez-faire approach from governments with a vested interest in using this technology to commit human rights violations", said @AgnesCallamard.
Here's a detailed report on how @AmnestyTech's Security Lab conducted forensic analysis on the phones. We are grateful to @citizenlab for peer-reviewing our report - thank you! amnesty.org/en/latest/rese…
This has been a huge collaborative effort - it has been a pleasure being a technical partner in the project w/@FbdnStories @laurentrichard0 @sandrinerigaud. Finally, big congrats & kudos to @botherder @Ingleton @DonnchaC for their incredible dedication & hard work on the project!
Last but not least, thank you to the amazing @rohantalbot for keeping me fed, watered and sane, particularly the past month which was relentlessly busy. Thank you for also for listening to me drone on about surveillance and spyware ❤️
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