Saudi Arabia denies allegations of using Pegasus spyware on journalists, activists

Published July 22, 2021
Saudi Arabia is one of a number of governments around the world accused of using Pegasus spyware to monitor the activities of dissidents and other critics. — AFP/File
Saudi Arabia is one of a number of governments around the world accused of using Pegasus spyware to monitor the activities of dissidents and other critics. — AFP/File

Saudi Arabia has dismissed allegations that it used Israeli-supplied Pegasus malware to spy on journalists and human rights activists as "baseless".

“A Saudi official denied the recent allegations reported in media outlets that an entity in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia used software to monitor phone calls,” the official SPA news agency reported late on Wednesday.

“The source added that such allegations are untrue, and that KSA's policies do not condone such practices.”

Saudi Arabia was one of a number of governments around the world accused of using Pegasus spyware to monitor the activities of dissidents and other critics, following an investigation by a consortium of media companies, including the Washington Post, the Guardian and France's Le Monde.

Israel's NSO Group and its Pegasus malware — capable of switching on a phone's camera or microphone and harvesting its data — have been in the headlines since 2016, when researchers accused it of helping spy on a dissident in the United Arab Emirates.

A giant of Israeli tech with 850 employees, NSO insists its software is only intended for use in fighting terrorism and other crimes, and that any other use is the work of “rogue” operators.

Those claims were rubbished by human rights group Amnesty International.

“NSO's spyware is a weapon of choice for repressive governments seeking to silence journalists, attack activists and crush dissents, placing countless lives in peril,” Amnesty chief Agnes Callamard said in a statement.

The UAE normalised its relations with Israel in a US-brokered deal last year, but regional heavyweight Saudi Arabia still has no formal ties with the Jewish state.

Opinion

Editorial

United stance
Updated 13 Nov, 2024

United stance

It would've been better if the OIC-Arab League summit had announced practical measures to punish Israel.
Unscheduled visit
13 Nov, 2024

Unscheduled visit

Unusual IMF visit shows the lender will closely watch implementation of programme goals to prevent it from derailing.
Bara’s businesswomen
13 Nov, 2024

Bara’s businesswomen

Bara’s brave women have proven that with the right support, societal barriers can be overcome.
System failure
Updated 12 Nov, 2024

System failure

Relevant institutions often treat right to internet connectivity with the same disdain as they do civil and political rights.
Narrowing the gap
12 Nov, 2024

Narrowing the gap

PERHAPS a pat on the back is in order for the ECP. Together with Nadra, it has made visible efforts to reduce...
Back on their feet
12 Nov, 2024

Back on their feet

A STIRRING comeback in the series has ended Pakistan’s 22-year wait for victory against world champions Australia....