Amnesty International Reports on Moroccan Intelligence's Surveillance Tactics
Amnesty International has condemned Morocco's intelligence agency for its use of spyware, hidden microphones, and pre-infected phones in what it describes as unlawful surveillance of journalists and human rights defenders. According to a report released by the rights organization, Moroccan authorities maintain an expansive surveillance apparatus aimed at silencing journalists, activists, and other critical voices.
The report, titled "Inside Morocco’s Surveillance Machine," draws on the testimony of a former employee of the Moroccan domestic intelligence service (DGST), alongside leaked documents and journalistic investigations. For years, NGOs, including Amnesty, have accused Morocco of employing Pegasus spyware, developed by the Israeli NSO Group, to monitor various individuals, including journalists and political figures.
Despite these allegations, Moroccan officials have consistently denied using spyware against their citizens. Amnesty International noted that it reached out to Moroccan authorities four weeks prior to the report's publication but did not receive a response. Al Jazeera was also unable to obtain immediate comments from Moroccan officials.
In its findings, Amnesty identified the DGST as the agency responsible for deploying Pegasus in Morocco, stating that the spyware was used against activists and journalists from 2017 to 2021. The organization highlighted that Moroccan authorities combined high-tech tools like Pegasus with traditional surveillance methods, including physical tailing and wiretapping.
The report details alarming practices, including the secret video and audio recording of individuals in detention, their offices, cars, and even their bedrooms. It claims that phone calls are systematically recorded and that shops sell mobile phones pre-infected with malware by DGST agents. Furthermore, the whistleblower revealed that internet cafes were infected with remote-controlled spyware and that devices were compromised at airports.
Targeting Civil Society and Journalists
Amnesty's investigation matched 103 Moroccan phone numbers entered into the Pegasus system between September and December 2017 to specific individuals. Of these, 65 were civil society members, including 34 human rights defenders and 22 journalists. The remaining numbers belonged to political figures, officials, and diplomats.
These records indicate that prominent human rights defenders and journalists were among the first targets of the Pegasus system. Amnesty also uncovered evidence of spyware being delivered over the state-owned Maroc Telecom network, with Morocco reportedly purchasing surveillance tools from companies based in Israel, the European Union, and the United States.
Amnesty Secretary-General Agnes Callamard stated that Morocco has fully embraced techno-authoritarian practices. The organization has called on Moroccan authorities to cease their surveillance activities and urged other states to halt the export of spyware to Morocco until adequate human rights safeguards are established.
Final Assessment
This investigation was part of a collaborative effort with 14 media organizations coordinated by Forbidden Stories, highlighting the growing concerns over the misuse of surveillance technology in Morocco. The implications of such practices extend beyond individual privacy violations, raising significant questions about freedom of expression and the safety of journalists and activists in the region.
As the situation develops, the international community continues to monitor Morocco's surveillance practices closely. The findings from Amnesty International's report serve as a crucial reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by those who seek to hold power accountable in environments where surveillance is rampant and dissent is often met with repression.
