Karachi, A joint investigation by Amnesty International and The Washington Post has revealed that the Indian government has recently targeted high-profile journalists with Pegasus spyware. This sophisticated software, developed by the Israeli firm NSO Group, is known for its capabilities to infiltrate mobile devices, enabling extensive surveillance activities.

According to Kashmir Media Service, the Pegasus software can access a phone’s messages and emails, review photos, eavesdrop on calls, track locations, and even film the owner with the camera. This tool has been sold to governments worldwide and is now being used for surveillance purposes.

The investigation specifically identified journalists Siddharth Varadarajan of The Wire and Anand Mangnale of The Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project as targets of this spyware. The most recent incident of such surveillance was reported in October.

Amnesty International’s Security Lab, headed by Donncha O Cearbhaill, highlighted the growing threat faced by journalists in India. O Cearbhaill stated, “Our latest findings show that increasingly, journalists in India face the threat of unlawful surveillance simply for doing their jobs.” He pointed out that this form of surveillance is part of a broader pattern of repression against the press, which includes imprisonment under draconian laws, smear campaigns, harassment, and intimidation.

This revelation underscores the concerns about privacy violations and the freedom of the press in India, raising questions about the use of advanced surveillance technologies by governments to monitor journalists and other perceived adversaries.