Amnesty rejects false social media rumors and firmly stands by the Pegasus project findings

 

Amnesty International said it was putting out a statement "in response to the false claims and allegations via social media and inaccurate media stories making rounds regarding the Pegasus Project. 

 

Kim Jetter, a cyber security journalist; Amnesty International, in a new statement, has stated that phone numbers in the list were of interest to NSO customers, suggesting they are the sort of people NSO clients might prefer to spy on, India Today reported.

 

However, prior Amnesty International, on its official website, has stated that it categorically stands by the findings of the Pegasus Project and that the information is irrefutably linked to potential targets of NSO Group's Pegasus spyware. The baseless rumours spreading on social media are meant to distract from the widespread unlawful targeting of activists, journalists, and other VIP's that the Pegasus Project has exposed."

 

The official statement by Amnesty emerged as rumours in social media posts and reports hinted that the human rights body had denied stating that leaked phone numbers were linked to the Israeli NSO Group's Pegasus spyware.

 

The list of numbers has created enormous controversy. It ignited after a probe led by Paris-based organization Forbidden Stories and Amnesty International unearthed over 50,000 phone numbers, including human rights activists, journalists, politicians, and VIPs. They were suspected to be a potential target of surveillance.

 

Pegasus malware can corrupt the electronic devices, empowering administrators of the tool to extract photographs, messages, call records, and even active microphones, BBC reported.

 

On Monday, the UN human rights chief declared the evident utilization of Pegasus spyware to unlawfully undermine the rights of those under surveillance, including politicians, activists, and journalists worldwide, is very shocking and affirmed some of the worst fears, including the misuse of such innovation.

 

As per the Pegasus leaks, it is essential to probe the entire incident carefully to cast out all doubts raised on national and international security breaches.

 

Article Credit: UN News/ BBC/ Amnesty International/ NDTV