Indian Journalists and Opposition Leaders Targeted by Israeli Spyware

Amnesty International and The Washington Post investigation reveals likely government surveillance ahead of India's national elections.

Indian journalists and opposition leaders have been targeted by the Israeli Pegasus spyware, likely deployed by the Indian government, according to a new forensic investigation by Amnesty International and The Washington Post.
Among those targeted were Siddharth Varadarajan, founding editor of The Wire, and Anand Mangnale, South Asia editor at the Organized Crime and Corruption Report Project (OCCRP), both of whom were targeted on their iPhones.
The latest attack was identified in October, around the same time Apple issued notifications to users worldwide who may have been targeted by 'state-sponsored' attacks.
Opposition legislator Mahua Moitra, known for her sharp questions in parliament, was among those warned by Apple. Moitra was recently expelled over an allegation of misconduct after she had repeatedly raised questions about alleged benefits handed by the government to the Adani Group, a business house widely seen as close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Indian government has been accused of suppressing freedom of speech, with India falling to 161st in the World Press Freedom Index from 150th last year, its lowest ever.