4 countries were under the close attention of the Parliamentary Assembly.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has published a report suggesting that several European countries , including the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg, may illegally use commercial spyware. The report calls on states to explain within three months what laws and regulations govern the use of such software and how this process is controlled.
The document also highlights Poland, Hungary, Spain, Greece and Azerbaijan, which have already faced public scandals over the use of NSO Group's Pegasus spyware. PACE insists on conducting "independent and prompt investigations" of all confirmed and suspected cases of technology abuse.
Ron Deibert, director of Citizen Lab, called the report "promising" and stressed its significance, especially for the countries that have been criticized.
In 2019, the Polish Senate declared the surveillance of opposition leader Krzysztof Breiza a violation of constitutional norms, after learning that state intelligence services used Pegasus for this purpose.
After an 18-month investigation, the special commission concluded that the politicians and officials involved in the case may even be brought to criminal responsibility. The information was passed to the Prosecutor's Office.
According to the head of the Pegasus oversight Commission, Marcin Bosacki, this software was used in Poland in an " extremely aggressive form."
The PACE report concludes that all Council of Europe countries should regulate the acquisition and use of spyware at the legislative level. It is allowed to use it only in strictly limited cases and with great care. Each state is recommended to create special bodies to monitor illegal activity in state structures.
The Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) has published a report suggesting that several European countries , including the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium and Luxembourg, may illegally use commercial spyware. The report calls on states to explain within three months what laws and regulations govern the use of such software and how this process is controlled.
The document also highlights Poland, Hungary, Spain, Greece and Azerbaijan, which have already faced public scandals over the use of NSO Group's Pegasus spyware. PACE insists on conducting "independent and prompt investigations" of all confirmed and suspected cases of technology abuse.
Ron Deibert, director of Citizen Lab, called the report "promising" and stressed its significance, especially for the countries that have been criticized.
In 2019, the Polish Senate declared the surveillance of opposition leader Krzysztof Breiza a violation of constitutional norms, after learning that state intelligence services used Pegasus for this purpose.
After an 18-month investigation, the special commission concluded that the politicians and officials involved in the case may even be brought to criminal responsibility. The information was passed to the Prosecutor's Office.
According to the head of the Pegasus oversight Commission, Marcin Bosacki, this software was used in Poland in an " extremely aggressive form."
The PACE report concludes that all Council of Europe countries should regulate the acquisition and use of spyware at the legislative level. It is allowed to use it only in strictly limited cases and with great care. Each state is recommended to create special bodies to monitor illegal activity in state structures.
