What's happened
Amnesty International has published a detailed report alleging that Moroccan authorities use Pegasus spyware and a broad surveillance network to monitor journalists and activists. The findings cite a whistleblower from the DGST, leaked documents, and collaborations with multiple international vendors. Morocco denies the accusations.
What's behind the headline?
- The story reveals how state surveillance intertwines with global tech vendors to suppress dissent, which could alter regional media freedom dynamics.
- It raises questions about accountability and the effectiveness of spyware controls, potentially prompting independent investigations and policy scrutiny across EU and US supplier regimes.
- Readers should consider how digital surveillance affects civil society, and what safeguards might empower journalists.
How we got here
The Amnesty report builds on testimonies from a former DGST employee, leaked data, and investigative journalism. It maps a system where high-tech tools are paired with traditional surveillance, aimed at silencing critics. Morocco has repeatedly rejected spyware accusations, arguing it protects personal communications.
Our analysis
Amnesty International, Al Jazeera, All Africa, Bloomberg, The New Arab. Direct quotes illustrate the scale and methods of surveillance, including claims of Pegasus infections and network-level intrusions; see Amnesty for full methodology and whistleblower account.
Go deeper
- What concrete steps can governments take to curb state spyware without hindering security?
- How might international vendors respond to mounting pressure over surveillance tools?
- Will independent investigations follow this Amnesty report to verify claims?
More on these topics
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Morocco - Country in North Africa
Morocco, officially the Kingdom of Morocco, is a country located in the Maghreb region of North Africa. It overlooks the Mediterranean Sea to the north and the Atlantic Ocean to the west, with land borders with Algeria to the east and Western Sahara to th
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NSO Group - Surveillance company
NSO Group Technologies is an Israeli technology firm whose spyware called Pegasus enables the remote surveillance of smartphones. It was founded in 2010 by Niv Carmi, Omri Lavie, and Shalev Hulio. It employed almost 500 people as of 2017, and is based in
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Amnesty International - Non-governmental organization
Amnesty International is a non-governmental organization with its headquarters in the United Kingdom focused on human rights. The organization says it has more than eight million members and supporters around the world.
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Israel - Country in the Middle East
Israel, formally known as the State of Israel, is a country in Western Asia, located on the southeastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea and the northern shore of the Red Sea.
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Forbidden Stories - Non-profit organization
Forbidden Stories is a non-profit organization with the mission "to continue and publish the work of other journalists facing threats, prison, or murder."
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Omar Radi - Moroccan journalist
Omar Radi is a Moroccan investigative journalist and human rights activist. He has worked at Lakome, Atlantic Radio, Media 24, TelQuel and Le Desk focusing on investigations about human rights, corruption and social movements.
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Pegasus - Software
Pegasus is a spyware developed by the Israeli cyberarms firm NSO Group that can be covertly installed on mobile phones running most versions of iOS and Android.