Amnesty International has recently revealed that Morocco's domestic intelligence agency, the Direction Générale de la Surveillance du Territoire (DGST), has been utilizing the Israeli-manufactured Pegasus spyware to conduct extensive surveillance on journalists, human rights advocates, lawyers, and other dissenting voices within the country. This alarming information emerged from a thorough investigation published by Amnesty, which highlights the pervasive and invasive nature of Morocco's surveillance operations, specifically targeting those who challenge the state’s authority.
The findings, detailed in the report titled _We Start with the Verdict: Inside Morocco’s Surveillance Machine_, elaborate on how Moroccan authorities have allegedly engaged in systematic monitoring practices from 2017 to 2021, primarily facilitated by the highly sophisticated spyware developed by the NSO Group. Amnesty’s investigation found concrete evidence that contradicts Morocco’s repeated denials of employing such surveillance tactics, particularly based on testimony from a former DGST employee, leaked surveillance records, and forensic analysis of the spyware's operation.
Amnesty’s research uncovered that a total of 103 Moroccan phone numbers were identified as potential targets for Pegasus surveillance, with a significant portion belonging to civil society members, including 34 human rights defenders, 22 journalists, five lawyers, and four academics. This data underscores the alarming reality that those in the media and human rights sectors are among the primary targets of Morocco's surveillance apparatus, signifying an intentional effort to stifle critical discourse and dissent.
Moreover, the investigation revealed that the use of Pegasus was not isolated, as Morocco also sourced various surveillance technologies from European and American companies, creating a comprehensive surveillance network that included physical monitoring, hidden microphones, and informants. Amnesty's Secretary General, Agnès Callamard, emphasized the troubling implications of such an extensive surveillance system, describing it as a demonstration of a global economy of techno-oppression, facilitated by companies and states failing to uphold their legal obligations regarding human rights.
Among the significant revelations was the role played by the NSO Group in training Moroccan authorities on the implementation of Pegasus. The report indicates that NSO personnel conducted demonstrations and provided operational training to DGST agents, enabling them to effectively deploy the spyware against targeted individuals. Such close cooperation between an Israeli surveillance company and a foreign intelligence agency raises critical questions about the international arms trade and the responsibility of technology companies in the proliferation of surveillance tools that infringe on human rights.
In light of these findings, Amnesty International is calling for an independent investigation into the unlawful surveillance practices employed by the DGST and urging that all surveillance activities targeting journalists and human rights defenders cease immediately. Furthermore, the organization advocates for a halt to the export of spyware and similar technologies to Morocco until sufficient human rights protections are established. This case not only sheds light on the specific abuses occurring in Morocco but also highlights the broader implications of the international surveillance industry, which continues to supply authoritarian regimes with the tools necessary to undermine civil liberties.
As reported by palestinechronicle.com.
