Spanish authorities have discovered the presence of ‘Pegasus’ spyware on the cellphones of Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Defense Minister Margarita Robles, Presidential Minister Felix Bolanos said on Monday.
Felix Bolanos said at a press conference that Pedro Sanchez’s phone was infected in May 2021, and even a data leak had occurred then. He did not want to specify who might have spied on the prime minister or whether foreign powers or Spanish groups were suspected.
Interventions are prohibited and external. External methods are conducted by unofficial bodies and without state permissionhe said, adding that the hacks have already been reported to the Ministry of Justice, and the High Court of Spain will handle the case.
The announcement came as the left-wing coalition government faced intense pressure. He was ordered to explain himself after the Canadian laboratory Citizen Lab said more than 60 people linked to the Catalan separatist movement had been targeted by spyware. Pegasusproduced by the Israeli group NSO.
After allegations of spying on members of the Catalan separatist movement, the minority government’s main ally in parliament, the independence party Republican Left of Catalonia (ERC), he said he would withdraw his support until Madrid took steps to restore confidence.
The European Union’s data protection watchdog has called for Pegasus to be banned over allegations that it was used by government clients to spy on activists, journalists and politicians.
Source: Radio-Canada
