By Whose Authority? Pegasus targeting of Russian & Belarusian-speaking opposition activists and independent media in Europe

The Citizen Lab, in collaboration with Access Now, reports that seven Russian- and Belarusian-speaking journalists and activists living in Europe were targeted and/or infected with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware between 2020 and 2023. Forensic artifacts including overlapping Apple IDs used by operators suggest a linked pattern across at least five cases, raising concerns about transnational repression of exiled civil society figures and the responsibilities of host states; the report also provides mitigation guidance for potential targets.