Pegasus case: Saudi Arabia denies espionage allegations

In denial of the accusations espionage proceeded the Saudi Arabia, following the publication of a survey, according to which several countries used the Israeli Pegasus software to monitor mainly journalists and human rights activists.

According to the Athenian-Macedonian News Agency, “an official denied the allegations published by the press, according to which a kingdom entity allegedly used software to monitor communications”, the official Saudi news agency told SPA. without specifying the name of the software to which it refers.

According to the source, whose name and position are not specified, “these allegations are baseless” and Saudi Arabia “does not approve of such practices,” the SPA added.

Saudi Arabia is among the countries where Pegasus software was allegedly used to monitor journalists, men and women politicians, human rights activists or even business leaders, according to a survey released last week by a consortium of 17 international including the French newspaper Le Monde, the British The Guardian and the American The Washington Post.

Pegasus software, marketed by the Israeli company NSO, as soon as it manages to enter a smartphone, allows the retrieval of messages, photos, contacts and even the interception of telephone calls of its owner.

NSO states that Pegasus software is intended solely for use by government intelligence and law enforcement agencies in the fight against terrorism and crime.

Saudi Arabia has been waging a brutal crackdown on dissidents and human rights activists, especially since Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman took power in 2017.