mexican journalists activists accuse govt of spying on them
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today
Arab Today, arab today
Last Updated : GMT 06:49:16
Arab Today, arab today

Mexican journalists, activists accuse govt of spying on them

Arab Today, arab today

Arab Today, arab today Mexican journalists, activists accuse govt of spying on them

Mexican journalist Carmen Aristegui holds her mobile phone
Mexico City - AFP

A group of prominent journalists and activists in Mexico accused the government of spying on them, saying their phones had been hacked with Israeli spyware sold exclusively to the state.

The group has pressed charges with the attorney general's office, accusing the government of illegally accessing private communications and other offenses, it announced at a press conference.

The nine plaintiffs at the press conference on Monday included journalists who have published embarrassing exposes on government corruption and activists who have investigated human rights violations by the state.

"This is an operation by the Mexican state, in which state agents -- far from doing what they should legally do -- have used our resources, our taxes, our money to commit serious abuses," said journalist Carmen Aristegui.

Aristegui, a well-known reporter, is known in Mexico for a 2014 expose revealing that President Enrique Pena Nieto's wife had bought a $7 million Mexico City mansion from a government contractor.

She is among the 76 cases the plaintiffs say they have documented of high-tech spyware being installed on their phones and those of their families and associates.

"What does the Mexican president have to say today about this treacherous, illegal spying?" Aristegui said.

Victims said they received text messages with eye-catching news headlines, social media posts or even communications from the United States embassy -- all of which were fake.

The messages would prompt users to click on a link that would secretly install the spyware on their phones.

The software in question, known as Pegasus, effectively turns a target's cell phone into a pocket spy, accessing the user's communications, camera and microphone to enable a highly detailed level of surveillance.

The accusation came as The New York Times published a report detailing how Pegasus was used against top human rights lawyers, journalists and anti-corruption activists in Mexico.

The spyware is made by a secretive Israeli firm called NSO Group, owned by US private equity firm Francisco Partners Management.

According to the Times report, at least three Mexican federal agencies have purchased some $80 million of spyware from NSO Group since 2011.

The company, which claims it only sells Pegasus to governments, says it has an agreement with clients that the software be used only to target terrorists and criminals.

arabstoday
arabstoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

mexican journalists activists accuse govt of spying on them mexican journalists activists accuse govt of spying on them

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

mexican journalists activists accuse govt of spying on them mexican journalists activists accuse govt of spying on them

 



GMT 08:23 2017 Monday ,03 April

Tesla tops quarterly sales forecast

GMT 20:11 2017 Saturday ,25 March

Former head of Egypt’s syndicate submits appeal

GMT 05:28 2017 Sunday ,26 November

Gas exporters call for 'fair price'

GMT 10:51 2018 Tuesday ,11 December

Cloudy weather with rain showers forecast Tuesday

GMT 20:00 2017 Monday ,25 September

Tourism minister leaves for France to attend Top Resa

GMT 22:07 2017 Tuesday ,02 May

UAE soldier martyred in Yemen

GMT 00:25 2017 Sunday ,10 September

Philippines Sees the Bloodiest

GMT 20:21 2017 Wednesday ,08 November

Ambassador Aizaz Chaudhry met members of Congress in US

GMT 09:31 2017 Monday ,16 October

Dalal Abdel Aziz happy for “Seventh Neighbor”

GMT 18:16 2017 Monday ,25 December

Sharjah Ruler issues Emiri Decree on SGMB functions

GMT 13:16 2017 Sunday ,15 October

Qatari sheikh says assets frozen over Gulf crisis

GMT 12:50 2017 Saturday ,11 November

ICC prosecutor calls for Afghanistan war crimes probe

GMT 13:28 2012 Friday ,17 February

NYT\'s Anthony Shadid dies in Syria

GMT 16:44 2017 Friday ,01 September

Al-Bashir to partake in OIC Summit in Kazakhstan
Arab Today, arab today
 
 Arab Today Facebook,arab today facebook  Arab Today Twitter,arab today twitter Arab Today Rss,arab today rss  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube  Arab Today Youtube,arab today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday arabstoday arabstoday
arabstoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
arabstoday, Arabstoday, Arabstoday