In a statement on Monday, the United Nations human rights chief called on governments to immediately cease their own use of surveillance technologies in ways that violate human rights. This statement comes after news reports emerged on Sunday, claiming that more than 300 verified mobile phone numbers, including of two serving ministers and over 40 journalists, were targeted for hacking through an Israeli spyware sold only to government agencies. "Revelations regarding the apparent widespread use of the Pegasus software to spy on journalists, human rights defenders, politicians and others in a variety of countries are extremely alarming, and seem to confirm some of the worst fears about the potential misuse of surveillance technology to illegally undermine people's human rights," UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a statement.
She mentioned Pegasus. "Given the fact that Pegasus spyware, as well as that created by Candiru and others, enable extremely deep intrusions into people's devices, resulting in insights into all aspects of their lives, their use can only ever be justified in the context of investigations into serious crimes and grave security threats. If the recent allegations about the use of Pegasus are even partly true, then that red line has been crossed again and again with total impunity," she said.
"Governments should immediately cease their own use of surveillance technologies in ways that violate human rights, and should take concrete actions to protect against such invasions of privacy by regulating the distribution, use and export of surveillance technology created by others," she said.
Opposition demand against govt
The Congress accused the government of "treason" and held Shah responsible for the snooping and hacking of phones of journalists, judges and politicians, and demanded a probe into the "role of the prime minister" in the entire matter as well. The demand for a probe came from opposition parties, including the Congress, TMC, NCP, Left parties, RJD and Shiv Sena.
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi took a swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the matter, saying, "We know what he's been reading—everything on your phone." Gandhi wrote this as a reply to his own tweet two days ago in which he had asked people, "I'm wondering what you guys are reading these days." The Congress and Gandhi termed the BJP "Bharatiya Jasoos Party" and tweeted, "One feels like laughing at 'his' fear".
The CPI(M) accused the government of engaging NSO for carrying out surveillance and said it had raised the issue of this "dangerous spyware" in Parliament two years ago. "The central government must come clean on what is its engagement with NSO, what are the terms and how much of our public funds have been paid for this," the party asked. RJD's Manoj Jha, Shiv Sena's Sanjay Raut, AAP's Sanjay Singh and NCP's Nawab Malik demanded a thorough probe and action against those involved. Addressing a joint press conference, Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said the party's first demand is Shah's immediate dismissal.
He said the Congress will take all opposition parties on-board over the issue and decide on whether to ask for a judicial or parliamentary probe in the matter.
