EU: Pegasus Spyware Found on Phones of Several Exiled Russian and Belarusian Journalists in Europe
Women Press Freedom is concerned for exiled journalists' physical and digital safety. Spyware, which poses a significant threat to their security, must be banned without delay
Location: EU
Date: May 30, 2024
Women Press Freedom condemns the recent incidents of hacking targeting exiled journalists who voice criticism against authoritarian regimes in Russia and Belarus. An investigation has uncovered that seven journalists residing in the European Union, have been hacked with malicious spyware known as Pegasus. Among those targeted are Maria Epifanova and Natallia Radzina. This revelation brings the total number of confirmed cases of journalists targeted with Pegasus in the EU to eight. Last year, an investigation revealed that exiled Russian journalist Galina Timchenko had also been targeted with the same software from the NSO Group. We urgently call for thorough investigations into these allegations of surveillance and hacking. EU institutions must take decisive action against such abuses of spyware technology. Incoming European Parliament lawmakers must prioritize tackling this imminent threat and enact a comprehensive EU-wide ban on spyware. Additionally, host countries where exiled journalists seek refuge must take immediate measures to ensure the safety of these journalists from both physical and digital threats
A joint investigation by Access Now and Citizen Lab has revealed that between August 2020 and January 2023, the phones of seven Russian and Belarusian-speaking independent journalists and opposition activists based in Europe were targeted and/or infected with Pegasus spyware.
Exiled Russian journalist and CEO of Novaya Gazeta Europe Maria Epifanova’s iPhone was infected on or around August 18, 2020. At the time, Epifanova was the chief editor of Novaya Gazeta Baltija. The attack occurred shortly after she received accreditation to attend exiled Belarusian democratic opposition leader Svetlana Tikhanovskaya’s first press conference in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Natallia Radzina, editor-in-chief of the independent Belarusian media website Charter97.org also had her device infected with Pegasus spyware. Access Now and Citizen Lab identified infections on or around December 2, 2022, December 7, 2022, and January 16, 2023. The first infection occurred the day after Radzina participated in the Third Anti-War Conference in Vilnius, organized by the Free Russia Forum. Facing a potential 15-year jail term in Belarus for her work for Charter 97, Radzina fled the country in 2011 and later received asylum in Poland.
Pegasus spyware, created by the Israeli cyber-arms company NSO Group, is designed to be covertly and remotely installed on mobile phones running iOS and Android. Once a phone is hacked using Pegasus, the spyware operator can access all phone data, including location and encrypted messages. It can also manipulate a phone’s camera and microphone to record, turning it into a portable listening device. While its creator promotes the software as a means to tackle crime and terrorism, its adoption by governments for monitoring political adversaries has sparked alarm.
In a related case documented by Women Press Freedom, Galina Timchenko, head of the independent Russian news outlet Meduza, discovered her phone was infected with Pegasus spyware while she was in Berlin. This was the first reported case of a Russian journalist being targeted by Pegasus.
The forensic evidence from these latest hackings suggests that these attacks may stem from a single NSO Group customer, although this remains unproven. Analysis revealed that the same Apple IDs were used by Pegasus operators in multiple attacks, suggesting coordination.
Other journalists and activists targeted with spyware:
Evgeny Erlikh - Israeli-Russian journalist with RFE/RL’s Russian-language network, based in Riga, Latvia.
Evgeny Pavlov - Latvian journalist formerly with RFE/RL and Novaya Gazeta Baltija, based in Riga, Latvia.
Andrei Sannikov - Belarusian opposition politician and activist, based in Warsaw, Poland.
Anonymous 1 - Russian independent media journalist, based in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Anonymous 2 - Belarusian civil society member, based in Vilnius, Lithuania.
Despite documented dangers and global alarm, EU institutions have been slow to address spyware abuses, with little action taken since the establishment of a committee to investigate surveillance software. In contrast, the US has taken significant steps, including sanctions against Pegasus producer the NSO Group. The recently enacted European Media Freedom Act falls short of protecting journalists from spyware. European states often justify their use of such spyware for national security reasons, but experts argue that this rationale shouldn't be a blanket excuse. Women Press Freedom calls for a comprehensive EU-wide ban on spyware and urges incoming lawmakers to prioritize confronting this threat to safeguard democracy and digital security.
The findings of this latest investigation reveal a disturbing pattern of surveillance and harassment against Russian and Belarusian-speaking independent journalists and opposition activists in European Union countries. The use of Pegasus spyware against these journalists not only violates their rights but also poses broader concerns for press freedom and human rights. The targeting of these journalists and activists within European borders calls into question the host states' obligations. Women Press Freedom calls on host countries, particularly EU members, to ensure the protection of exiled journalists and activists from digital and physical threats, and to address tactics of digital transnational repression effectively.
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