Inside the Surveillance Mechanism of Morocco
A former security officer has provided rare insights into the inner workings of Morocco's extensive surveillance system, shedding light on how the authorities methodically track and silence journalists, activists, and other dissenting voices. According to a recent report by Amnesty International, the Moroccan government employs a combination of digital and traditional surveillance methods to monitor and intimidate these individuals, ultimately aiming to suppress their freedom of expression and right to privacy.
The report, titled "We Begin with a Judgment: Inside Morocco's Surveillance System," details the unlawful surveillance practices employed by Moroccan authorities against human rights defenders and journalists, highlighting the systemic violations of their rights. Amnesty International's Secretary General, Agnes Callamard, remarked that Morocco has fully embraced authoritarian technological practices, acquiring a range of surveillance technologies to establish a repressive system designed to instill fear in human rights activists and journalists, thereby obstructing their work both within Morocco and abroad.
Despite Morocco's repeated denials of utilizing spyware to monitor its citizens, Amnesty International has gathered new evidence contradicting these claims. This includes testimony from a former security source, leaked surveillance data, and government records detailing the targeting of individuals using spyware tools. The organization not only documents the various tools and techniques used to target dissenters but also identifies the network of international suppliers that provide these technologies.
Amnesty International's findings illustrate a global economy of technological oppression, supported by companies and nations that fail to uphold their obligations under international law. The oppressive system in Morocco severely hampers individuals' ability to exercise their rights to freedom of expression, assembly, and association. Even after their release from prison, individuals remain under surveillance and face smear campaigns based on personal information that can only be accessed through illicit monitoring.
Revelations from a Security Insider
The former security officer, who goes by the pseudonym "Ambassador," disclosed how the General Directorate of Surveillance of National Territory (DGST) is responsible for the deployment of Pegasus spyware in Morocco, detailing documented violations against activists and journalists from 2017 to 2021. Through multiple interviews conducted over several years, "Ambassador" provided a comprehensive overview of the range of surveillance tools and techniques employed by the DGST. Amnesty International verified key aspects of "Ambassador's" testimony using independent sources, technical evidence, and interviews with human rights defenders.
By combining firsthand accounts from this knowledgeable insider with forensic digital analysis and data from a myriad of targeted individuals, Amnesty International offers one of the most detailed narratives to date on state surveillance operations. The report contextualizes the misuse of spyware as part of a broader strategy of surveillance and control. "Ambassador" described how personal devices are hacked, targets are covertly recorded in various locations, and phone calls are routinely intercepted. The authorities track the geographical data of activists, revealing their daily movements and interactions.
Moreover, the report illustrates how local phone shops have been exploited to sell devices pre-installed with spyware, and how neighbors of targeted human rights defenders are recruited as informants. The consequences of these surveillance tactics extend beyond the immediate targets, impacting their families, friends, and professional networks. The DGST operates without judicial oversight or accountability, conducting covert operations against activists while remaining immune from scrutiny or punishment.
Through its investigations, Amnesty International has previously published forensic evidence confirming the hacking of mobile phones belonging to human rights defenders and activists in Morocco using Pegasus spyware. The current report underscores the DGST's role in deploying this spyware and the systematic abuses that have occurred, despite previous denials by the Moroccan authorities.
The comprehensive nature of this surveillance apparatus means that human rights defenders in Morocco find it increasingly difficult to escape the pervasive net of state monitoring, which extends beyond the country's borders. As the report indicates, the tools employed by the DGST are varied, but their intent is clear: to intimidate those who advocate for human rights in Morocco, tarnish their reputations, and imprison them if necessary.
As reported by amnesty.org.
