![People stage a demonstration demanding the freedom of Western Sahara at Sol square, in Madrid, Spain on November 13, 2021. [Burak Akbulut - Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/11/20211113_2_50871751_70643988.jpg?fit=1200%2C800&ssl=1)
A Sahrawi human rights defender has denounced Morocco’s systematic deployment of Pegasus spyware to monitor and intimidate journalists and activists in the disputed Western Sahara. Ghalia Abdallah Djimi expressed her condemnation at the 58th session of the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva.
According to Sahara Press Service, the activist asserted that the Moroccan authorities “exploit this advanced technology to violate the rights of human rights defenders and restrict fundamental freedoms, particularly targeting women who are subjected to systematic defamation and intimidation campaigns.” Djimi stressed that such targeting “is not isolated but part of a broader pattern used to silence free voices.”
Pegasus, developed by the Israeli NSO Group, is a sophisticated spyware capable of infiltrating smartphones to access data and activate microphones and cameras without users’ knowledge. While intended for combating crime and terrorism, investigations have revealed its misuse against activists, journalists and political figures globally.
In Morocco, reports indicate that the spyware has been employed to monitor domestic dissidents and even foreign officials. Notably, in 2021 it was reported that the Moroccan authorities targeted over 6,000 Algerian phones, including those of politicians and high-ranking military officials. This surveillance scandal contributed to Algeria’s decision to sever diplomatic ties with Morocco, a move that also came amid Rabat’s resumption of relations with the occupation state of Israel in exchange for Washington’s recognition of Morocco’s claim to sovereignty over Western Sahara.
Djimi called on the Special Rapporteur on the Right to Privacy to initiate a comprehensive investigation into the use of Pegasus in Western Sahara and other regions, highlighting that such surveillance constitutes “a grave violation of international law.” She urged the international community, including civil society organisations in Europe and the US, as well as the African Union, to take “urgent” action to protect privacy and freedom of expression, aiming to halt the “repressive practices” threatening human rights defenders in the region.
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