Amnesty International condemns a 'surveillance system' in Morocco targeting journalists and activists
Amman2 min read
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Amnesty International condemned on Thursday a'surveillance system' established by Morocco to'muzzle' journalists and human rights defenders, using espionage software and by filming them without their knowledge, including inside their homes.
The London-based organization said in its report that it relied on the testimony of a former employee of the 'General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance' (internal intelligence), leaked documents, and journalistic investigations conducted by research partners of the organization.
This is not the first time Morocco has been accused of using surveillance tools. For years, non-governmental organizations, including Amnesty International, and international media have accused Rabat of using the 'Pegasus' espionage software developed by the Israeli company 'NSO' to target journalists, activists, and politicians.
Morocco consistently denies these accusations, affirming that it is 'a state of law that guarantees the confidentiality of personal communications'.
Rabat has previously asked Amnesty International to provide solid evidence of these accusations, which it described as 'unfair and imaginary'.
Anaïs Caillamar, Secretary General of Amnesty International, said in a statement that 'Morocco has fully adopted authoritarian technological practices, acquiring a wide range of surveillance technologies that allow the creation and operation of a repressive system specifically designed to instill fear in human rights defenders and journalists, silence them, and obstruct their work within and outside Morocco'.
The organization confirmed that Moroccan authorities use 'high-tech tools' alongside traditional methods such as surveillance and wiretapping.
According to Amnesty, the Directorate and other bodies rely on 'hidden devices for recording audio and video planted in homes, cars, offices, public places, and detention facilities'.
It added that there is 'direct access to data and communications over the network, including access to calls that Directorate elements can intercept', and 'pre-installed spyware on mobile devices that are later displayed in stores and sold to targeted individuals'.
According to Amnesty International, sensitive data collected in this manner is sometimes used to fuel defamation campaigns targeting activists, particularly women, with the aim of tarnishing their image in public opinion.
The organization confirmed that Moroccan authorities used the Pegasus program 'between 2017 and 2021, and possibly later'.
However, the organization said that this program is just one of many technological tools purchased by the Moroccan government from companies based in Israel, the European Union, and the United States.
Amnesty International called on Morocco to stop monitoring activists and journalists and to open an independent investigation into the 'General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance'.
