A recent investigation has revealed that over 30 individuals in Jordan, including journalists, lawyers, and activists, have had their mobile phones hacked with the Israeli-made Pegasus spyware. This joint investigation, led by the Access Now internet advocacy group and the Citizen Lab rights group, uncovered at least 35 cases of individuals being targeted with this spyware, most of which occurred between 2020 and late 2023.
Access Now has expressed concern that the actual number of victims may be much higher, indicating that the use of Pegasus spyware in Jordan is more widespread than initially thought. While the report did not directly accuse the Jordanian government of deploying the spyware, it did suggest that its use coincided with an increase in repression of citizens’ rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly.
The Jordanian government has not yet responded to the report. Pegasus spyware gained notoriety in 2021 when a leak suggested that around 50,000 potential victims of the malware existed worldwide, many of whom were dissidents, journalists, and activists.
Source from www.aljazeera.com
