Spain and France have announced that they will be sharing information from their separate investigations into the use of Pegasus spyware to spy on their politicians. This decision comes after a Spanish court ordered the reopening of an investigation into the alleged hacking of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and other Spanish politicians’ phones with Pegasus spyware.
The investigation, which was initially launched in 2022, was shelved last year due to a lack of cooperation from Israel, where the Pegasus software is developed. However, after receiving new information from judicial authorities, Judge Jose Luis Calama has decided to reopen the investigation.
The Spanish court believes that comparing the technical elements gathered in the French investigation with their own investigation may help them trace the origin of the hacking and identify the individuals or entities responsible.
Pegasus is a powerful spyware that can be used on mobile phones to extract data or activate a camera or microphone to spy on owners. The software requires a government license for export because it is considered a weapon. According to security researchers and a report by Amnesty International, Pegasus has been used to target more than 1,000 people across 50 countries, including activists and journalists.
The revelations about the use of Pegasus spyware in Spain caused a political crisis in the country. In France, President Macron and several of his ministers were also targeted by the spyware.
The joint investigation between Spain and France is a significant step towards uncovering the truth behind the Pegasus spyware scandal and holding those responsible accountable.
