Israel govt taken to court over spyware firm NSO
tel aviv — Amnesty International on Thursday took Israel’s defence ministry to court, as the rights group seeks to have the export licence of spyware firm NSO Group revoked over hacking allegations.
The legal battle is the latest to face the Israeli company, which is being sued in the United States by messaging service WhatsApp over alleged cyber-espionage on human rights activists and others.
NSO Group produces Pegasus, a highly invasive tool that can reportedly switch on a target’s cellphone camera and microphone and access data on it, effectively turning the phone into a pocket spy.
Amnesty claims the company’s technology was used against one
By trying to attack an Amnesty International staff worker, it’s a message to all human rights activists around the world: you are also a target Eitay Mack
Amnesty lawyer
of its staff members in an “earthquake” move, the organisation’s lawyer Eitay Mack said ahead of the hearing.
“By trying to attack an Amnesty International staff worker, it’s a message to all human rights activists around the world: you are also a target,” he said.
The ministry oversees any defence-related exports from Israel and Amnesty is seeking to have NSO Group’s export licence revoked and more broadly promote greater oversight.
Thursday’s hearing began with a discussion on whether the case would be heard behind closed doors as requested by the defence ministry.
Judge Rachel Barkai backed the government’s arguments that an open hearing could be harmful and NSO may in presenting its arguments divulge state secrets. —