"From India to Rwanda, the victims of NSO Group’s WhatsApp hacking speak out", 17 Dec 2020

Around the world, governments are using surveillance tools they have purchased from Israeli spyware firm NSO Group — the infamous creator of Pegasus — to monitor and crack down on human rights defenders. Access Now and our partners have repeatedly called on NSO Group and its investors to stop providing its products to countries who use them as tools of oppression, but the company has failed to take any meaningful steps to address these harms.

... Five individuals who suffered from the WhatsApp hack have stepped forward to tell their stories — sharing the important work they are doing to protect human rights in their communities, how their governments used NSO Group’s products to surveil them, and consequences they have faced as a result.

Bela Bhatia is an Indian human rights lawyer, activist, independent researcher, and writer.

My name is Bela Bhatia. I live in Jagdalpur in Bastar district of Chhattisgarh state of India. I work here as a human rights lawyer and activist, independent researcher, and writer.... I believe I was targeted because the state and federal governments of India do not want individuals to witness or speak out against the impunity of the police and paramilitary while they carry out their plans to quell the Maoist movement with brutal force and illegal means. Besides issues related to the Maoist movement, there are other issues pertaining to governance and the democratic rights of citizens, especially Adivasis in this area... that are being trampled upon, for example, furthering the mining industry in the interests of private corporations without due process...