UK Court Greenlights Spyware Lawsuit Against Saudi Arabia

The Supreme Court of the United Kingdom has granted human rights advocate Yahya Assiri the right to file a lawsuit against the Saudi Arabian government for its alleged use of spyware to surveil him. The case may now proceed to court unless the Saudi authorities opt for a settlement or the claim is dismissed.

Assiri, a former activist from Saudi Arabia now residing in the UK, asserts that his phone was infected with Pegasus spyware, created by the Israeli company NSO Group. Additionally, Assiri claims that other software from the company QuaDream was also installed on his devices.

The Saudi authorities have repeatedly sought to halt such legal proceedings, citing the country’s sovereignty. However, Assiri has stated that the court’s decision is of immense significance to him, as it provides an opportunity to hold those responsible for human rights abuses accountable.

Assiri emphasizes that his primary objective is the release of human rights defenders imprisoned in Saudi Arabia. He is willing to withdraw his claim if the Saudi authorities initiate reforms, with the first step being the release of those imprisoned for political reasons. Financial compensation from Saudi Arabia is not his aim; rather, it is the cessation of human rights violations that he seeks.

The court’s ruling has been positively received by the human rights organization Human Rights Watch, which hailed the case as an important step towards holding the Saudi government accountable for its surveillance of activists and dissidents. The ruling itself was made on October 11, though it only came to light earlier this week.

Assiri, a long-time critic of the Saudi regime, a close friend of the murdered journalist Jamal Khashoggi, has been living in the UK since 2013 due to concerns for his safety. He serves as the director of a human rights organization and is the founder of an opposition party in Saudi Arabia.

The use of spyware, particularly Pegasus, has become a widespread method for monitoring human rights defenders, journalists, and political opponents across the globe. Although NSO Group claims that its products are sold exclusively to state agencies for law enforcement and intelligence purposes, numerous cases have surfaced where the software has been used against activists and dissidents, including in Saudi Arabia.

In 2018, Amnesty International’s research lab discovered suspicious messages on Assiri’s phone, which they believed were attempts to infect his device with Pegasus spyware. It was later revealed that software produced by QuaDream had also been used against Assiri.