A report from civil society organizations documented that journalists, anticorruption activists and human rights defenders denouncing forced disappearances and sexual abuses were spied - allegedly by the Mexican government- using the Pegasus software from NSO Group. The company argues that the software should only be used against drug cartels or terrorist groups.

4th July 2017: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited NSO Group to respond; the company responded on 9th August 2017. 

23rd July 2017: Reuters and others reported that Blackstone Group and ClearSky are looking to invest in NSO Group.

3rd August 2017: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre invited Blackstone and ClearSky to make a public statement stating how and to what extent they considering human rights in any potential investment in NSO Group. The companies did not respond. The Resource Centre also invited NSO Group's current owner, Francisco Partners, to respond to concerns around NSO Group's activities. It referred questions to NSO Group. 

9th August 2017: Business & Human Rights Resource Centre reached out to 9 pension funds believed to be investing in Blackstone Group to ask them to make a public statement on the deal. Two pension funds have responded so far. California Public Employees' Retirement System and Arizona State Retirement System indicated that they had spoken to Blackstone Group about this investment (their statements are below).

16th August 2017: Blackstone reportedly ends talks to buy NSO Group stake following protests.