Pegasus Project

The Pegasus Project is an international investigative journalism initiative that revealed governments' espionage on journalists, opposition politicians, activists, business people and others using the private NSO Group's Pegasus spyware. Pegasus is ostensibly marketed for surveillance of "serious crimes and terrorism". In 2020, a target list of 50,000 phone numbers leaked to Forbidden Stories, and an analysis revealed the list contained the numbers of leading opposition politicians, human rights activists, journalists, lawyers and other political dissidents.

Quotes

 * Freedom of media, free press is one of the core values of the EU. It is completely unacceptable if this [hacking] were to be the case.
 * Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, as quoted in Pegasus spying reports 'completely unacceptable,' says EU's von der Leyen] DW (19 July 2021)


 * The PM has assaulted democratic institutions by using the weapons grade spyware against them. For me, this is not a matter of privacy, it is an anti-national act, treason. The weapon was used against me, SC, other leaders, journalists, activists. Then why should we not debate the issue in Parliament? What is the reason the discussion is not happening. This is the question.
 * Rahul Gandhi, an Indian opposition leader, as quoted in "Pegasus snooping is treason; not going anywhere till it’s discussed: Rahul Gandhi", Tribune India (28 July 2021)


 * This scandal shows we cannot talk about the rule of law any more in Hungary. Our demand is the resignation of the government.
 * Anna Donáth, an Hungarian opposition leaders, as quoted in "Call for Hungarian ministers to resign in wake of Pegasus revelations" The Guardian (28 July 2021)