Hyderabad: Amnesty International in a statement issued today has clarified its stance on the Pegasus spyware row, declaring its support for the Pegasus Project and its findings. The organisation was prompted to put out a statement after certain sections of media and social media reported that the organisation had denied calling the list revealed by the Pegasus Project as one linked to the NSO group.
"Amnesty International categorically stands by the findings of the Pegasus Project, and that the data is irrefutably linked to potential targets of NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware," the statement by the organisation said.
Several governments across the globe have received sharp criticism both at home and abroad over immoral and potentially illegal methods to keep tabs on political opponents, journalists and social activists. "The false rumours being pushed on social media are intended to distract from the widespread unlawful targeting of journalists, activists and others that the Pegasus Project has revealed," Amnesty asserted in its statement.
Earlier this week, Amnesty International’s Secretary General Agnes Callamard said, "We have long known that activists and journalists are targets of this surreptitious phone-hacking – but it’s clear that even those at the highest levels of power cannot escape the sinister spread of NSO’s spyware. NSO Group can no longer hide behind the claim that its spyware is only used to fight crime – it appears that Pegasus is also the spyware of choice for those wanting to snoop on foreign governments."