Thread by @panyiszabolcs

Rule of law in Hungary: I have been investigated by our data protection authority because of my reporting on #Pegasus surveillances and after a complaint by an intelligence officer who was likely the spyware's operator. Story & documents (in 🇭🇺): media1.hu/2022/07/20/viz…

Thread👇

2/ As part of our #Pegasus surveillance investigations at @direkt36, I wrote a story on probably the most unlikely target: an intelligence officer at the Special Service for National Security (SSNS), which conducts secret surveillance and interceptions. direkt36.hu/en/kemszoftver…

3/ I had doubts that he was a real target, and well-informed sources told me that this guy probably just operated Pegasus, and entered his own number while trying to test the spyware. But we easily identified him because someone saved his name, title and position in CallApp (LOL)

4/ During my reporting, I called the intel officer on the phone & talked. He sounded sad, shy, even a bit humiliated. He didn't hung up, listened to me explaining how we identified him, and evetually told that "if it's true what you're saying, you understand why I can't comment".

5/ After our conversation, I also sent him an email outlining what I'm planning to write about him, and asked for comments, again.

Crickets.

Months later, it turned out that he filed a complaint with the Hungarian data protection authority, which started investigating me.

6/ The intel officer - who has an expertise in spywares - alleged that I obtained and handled his personal data (name, phone number, email, his workplace & position) in an unlawful way and that caused him serious concern.

This was a real "you must be kidding" moment for me.

7/ Well, it wasn't that surprising, actually. The Hungarian data protection authority had already exonerated the Hungarian government from allegations of illegal surveillance & claimed that even journalists, lawyers, opposition politicians were legitimate targets of the spyware.

8/ Moreover, the 🇭🇺data protection authority filed criminal complaints against unknown perpetrators, basically saying that the #PegasusProject could have committed serious crimes such as hacking or spying when obtaining the leaked database of potential targets' phone numbers.

9/ This investigation against me was a separate one, launched in March and ended in July. I told the authority in detail how we handle information and how we identified the intel officer using open source stuff like CallApp and Pipl. They finally acknowledged I did nothing wrong.

10/ However, the authority fell short in also acknowledging that it's essential for journalists - especially investigative journalists - to collect and handle data of people whom they are reporting on.

It's just really absurd that someone is probed because of doing journalism.

11/ It's even more absurd that after I've been surveilled with #Pegasus spyware for 7 months and then participated in the #PegasusProject uncovering how the Orbán government was spying on journalists, media company owners, lawyers etc. I'm the one coming under such a probe.

12/ Finally, please also read and share our original reporting in how Pegasus was used in Hungary. 🙏direkt36.hu/en/leleplezodo…