Govts should immediately cease their own use of surveillance technologies in ways that violate human rights: UN human rights chief

An investigation by a global media consortium showed that software from Israel-based NSO Group is being used to spy on journalists, human rights activists and political dissidents across the world.

Terming as “extremely alarming” revelations about use of Pegasus software to spy on journalists, human rights defenders, politicians around the world, the UN human rights chief on Monday called on governments to immediately cease their own use of surveillance technologies in ways that violate human rights. An investigation by a global media consortium showed that software from Israel-based NSO Group is being used to spy on journalists, human rights activists and political dissidents across the world. “Revelations regarding the apparent widespread use of the Pegasus software to spy on journalists, human rights defenders, politicians and others in a variety of countries are extremely alarming, and seem to confirm some of the worst fears about the potential misuse of surveillance technology to illegally undermine people’s human rights,” UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Michelle Bachelet said in a statement.