High-level journalists move SC to demand investigation into Pegasus allegations

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Veteran journalists N Ram and Sashi Kumar have asked the Supreme Court for an independent investigation by its sitting or retired judge into reports of suspected espionage by government agencies on prominent citizens, politicians and scribes using the Israeli spyware Pegasus.

The petition, likely to be heard in the next few days, sought to determine whether the illegal hacking of phones using Pegasus spyware represented an attempt by agencies and organizations to muzzle and restrict the exercise of freedom of movement. expression and expression of dissent in India. .

He also asked the Center to disclose whether the government or any of its agencies licensed the Pegasus spyware and used it, directly or indirectly, to conduct surveillance in any way.

The petitioners claimed that an investigation involving several prominent publications around the world found that more than 142 Indians, including journalists, lawyers, government ministers, opposition politicians, constitutional officials and activists civil society, were identified as potential targets for surveillance using the Pegasus software.

It culminated that forensic analysis of several cell phones belonging to people targeted for surveillance by Amnesty International’s security lab confirmed the security breaches induced by Pegasus.

Targeted surveillance using military-grade spyware is an unacceptable violation of the right to privacy which has been considered a fundamental right under Articles 14 (equality before the law), 19 (freedom of speech and ‘expression) and 21 (protection of life and personal liberty) by the Supreme Court, he added.

He said the targeted hacking of phones belonging to journalists, doctors, lawyers, civil society activists, government ministers and opposition politicians seriously undermines the effective exercise of the fundamental right to liberty. expression and expression under Article 19 (1) (a) of the Constitution. .

It has a clear deterrent effect on expression by threatening to invade the most essential and private aspects of a person’s life, he said.

He claimed that the hacking caused by the Pegasus spyware was a criminal offense punishable in particular under Article 66 (computer-related offenses), 66B (punishment for dishonestly receiving a computer resource or computer device. communication stolen), 66E (punishment for violation of privacy) and 66F (for cyberterrorism) of the computer law, punishable by imprisonment and / or fine.

The attack at first glance constitutes an act of cyberterrorism that has several serious political and security ramifications, especially since the devices of government ministers, politicians and constitutional officials that may contain sensitive information have been targeted, a he added.

Previously, a petition was filed by a lawyer in the Supreme Court to request a court-monitored investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) in the spy row.

(Only the title and image of this report may have been reworked by Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is automatically generated from a syndicated feed.)

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