Indian Govt targets high-profile journalists with Pegasus spyware, says Amnesty International

In a joint investigation by Amnesty International and The Washington Post, it has been reported that the Indian government is once again targeting high-profile journalists using the Pegasus spyware. Developed by Israeli firm NSO Group, Pegasus enables unauthorized access to a phone's messages, emails, photos, calls, locations, and even the device's camera.

The investigative report highlights instances of journalists Siddharth Varadarajan of The Wire and Anand Mangnale of The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP) being targeted with spyware on their iPhones. Amnesty International's Security Lab Head, Donncha O Cearbhaill, emphasizes the increasing threat of unlawful surveillance faced by journalists in India, compounding an already hostile climate marked by imprisonment threats, smear campaigns, harassment, and intimidation.

The Pegasus spyware has been widely documented for its use against journalists and activists globally, and in 2021, India faced accusations of employing Pegasus to surveil journalists, opposition politicians, and activists. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's political rival, Rahul Gandhi, was among those targeted. The Indian government denied engaging in "illegal surveillance" but refused cooperation with a Supreme Court probe into the allegations.

The use of Pegasus continues to raise concerns about press freedom in India, with the country ranking 161 out of 180 in the World Press Freedom Index.