THE UN human rights chief on Monday said revelations regarding the apparent widespread use of the Israeli-developed Pegasus software to spy on journalists, human rights defenders, politicians, and others are “extremely alarming.”
Michelle Bachelet said in a statement that disclosures about the use of the software developed by the NSO Group “seem to confirm some of the worst fears about the potential misuse of surveillance technology to illegally undermine people’s human rights.”
They confirm the urgent need to regulate better the transfer and use of surveillance technology and ensure strict oversight, said the rights chief.
The UN Human Rights system, including her own office, has frequently raised severe concerns about the dangers of authorities using surveillance tools.
“Use of surveillance software has been linked to arrest, intimidation, and even killings of journalists and human rights defenders,” said Bachelet. “Reports of surveillance also have the invidious effect of making people censor
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