Saudi Arabia has long been accused of monitoring dissidents and critics of the government using various methods, including spyware tools. The latest such tool to come to light is called “Reign,” which has been likened to the infamous Pegasus spyware. According to a recent report, Reign was used to spy on the iPhones of several human rights activists and journalists in the country.
The Washington Center for Human Rights is deeply concerned about the use of such tools by the Saudi government and its impact on the fundamental human rights of individuals in the country. This article seeks to provide an overview of how the Saudi government monitors dissidents and the dangers that such surveillance poses to civil society.
The use of spyware tools to monitor dissidents is not new in Saudi Arabia. The country has a long history of surveillance and censorship, which has only intensified in recent years under the current regime. The government uses various methods to monitor dissidents, including surveillance cameras, internet monitoring, and social media monitoring. However, spyware tools are perhaps the most effective and invasive method of monitoring dissidents.
Reign, the latest spyware tool to come to light, is believed to be developed by the same Israeli company that developed Pegasus, which was used to target human rights activists and journalists in several countries, including Mexico, India, and the UAE. Like Pegasus, Reign is a sophisticated spyware tool that can infiltrate the target’s phone and extract sensitive information, including contacts, messages, and photos. The tool can also activate the phone’s camera and microphone to record audio and video without the target’s knowledge.
The use of Reign to monitor dissidents in Saudi Arabia is not surprising given the country’s history of human rights abuses. The government has a long-standing policy of suppressing dissent and criticism of the ruling regime, which has led to the arrest and detention of several activists, journalists, and bloggers. The government has also been accused of using torture, arbitrary detention, and extrajudicial killings to silence critics of the regime.
One of the most high-profile cases of government surveillance in Saudi Arabia is that of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi journalist and Washington Post columnist who was murdered inside the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in 2018. The murder, which was carried out by Saudi agents, was widely believed to be a result of Khashoggi’s criticism of the Saudi government. The Washington Post has reported that Khashoggi’s phone was hacked using Pegasus before he was murdered.
The use of spyware tools like Pegasus and Reign to monitor dissidents and journalists is a clear violation of their fundamental human rights. Such surveillance not only violates the right to privacy but also poses a serious threat to freedom of expression and freedom of the press. The Saudi government’s use of such tools to silence critics of the regime is a clear indication of its disregard for human rights and the rule of law.
The Washington Center for Human Rights calls on the Saudi government to immediately stop the use of spyware tools to monitor dissidents and journalists. The government must also release all activists, journalists, and bloggers who have been detained for exercising their right to freedom of expression. The international community must also hold the Saudi government accountable for its human rights abuses and take concrete steps to ensure that such abuses do not continue.
In conclusion, the use of spyware tools like Reign to monitor dissidents and journalists in Saudi Arabia is a clear violation of fundamental human rights. The Saudi government’s policy of suppressing dissent and criticism of the regime is a serious threat to civil society and must be condemned by the international community. The Washington Center for Human Rights calls on the Saudi government to respect the fundamental human rights of all its citizens and take immediate steps to end its policy of surveillance and censorship.