oluwatosin oyeniyi RABAT, Morocco — Amnesty International has accused Morocco’s domestic intelligence service of operating an extensive surveillance system targeting journalists, human-rights defenders, activists and other government critics.
In a report published on October 1, the rights organisation said Morocco’s General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance (DGST) combined sophisticated spyware with more traditional surveillance methods to monitor and intimidate critical voices.
The findings are based on testimony from a former intelligence employee using the pseudonym “Safir”, leaked surveillance records, forensic analysis and interviews with people Amnesty identified as surveillance targets. The organisation said it independently corroborated key elements of the whistleblower’s account.
Pegasus at the Centre of Allegations
Amnesty identified Israeli-developed Pegasus spyware as one of the central tools allegedly used by Moroccan authorities.
The organisation said its analysis of Pegasus records identified 103 Moroccan telephone numbers entered into the system between September and December 2017. Of those, Amnesty said 65 belonged to civil-society figures, including 34 human-rights defenders and 22 journalists or media workers.
Amnesty said the alleged surveillance extended beyond mobile spyware. The former intelligence employee described hidden microphones, covert recordings, tracking systems and the physical compromise of phones.
The report also alleges that some phone shops were used to distribute mobile devices that had already been infected with spyware, while internet cafés and other locations were allegedly compromised to monitor targets.
Amnesty further said its investigation identified surveillance tools supplied by companies in Israel, Europe and the United States, highlighting the international market behind sophisticated digital surveillance.
Journalists Among the Alleged Targets
The report adds to years of allegations surrounding Morocco’s treatment of journalists and activists.
Journalist and human-rights defender Omar Radi, who was previously identified by Amnesty as a Pegasus target, is among the cases discussed in the latest investigation. Amnesty said his phone was examined by its Security Lab in 2020 and showed evidence consistent with Pegasus targeting.
Other cases examined by the investigation include activist Fouad Abdelmoumni, human-rights lawyer Abdessadak El Bouchattaoui and journalist Hicham Mansouri, who is now in exile.
The alleged surveillance is significant because of what Amnesty says happened after information was collected. The organisation argues that intelligence gathered through surveillance was used alongside smear campaigns, criminal prosecutions and other forms of pressure against critical voices.
Morocco Rejects Spyware Allegations
Moroccan authorities have repeatedly denied allegations that they used Pegasus or other spyware to target journalists and activists.
The government has previously challenged Amnesty to provide evidence demonstrating that Moroccan authorities were responsible for the alleged surveillance. Amnesty said it contacted Moroccan authorities four weeks before publishing its latest report but received no response.
Moroccan media have also questioned aspects of the investigation, including whether the appearance of telephone numbers in Pegasus records alone can establish that a device was successfully infected or prove who authorised the targeting.
That distinction is important. Amnesty’s report presents a substantial body of evidence and testimony, but the allegations concerning state responsibility remain disputed by Moroccan authorities.
A Wider Press-Freedom Concern
The allegations come against a broader backdrop of concerns about the space available to independent journalists and government critics in Morocco.
For journalists, surveillance can have consequences beyond the direct invasion of privacy. Knowing that phones, meetings, homes or movements may be monitored can discourage sources from communicating with reporters and make investigative journalism more difficult.
Digital surveillance also creates risks beyond Morocco’s borders. Amnesty’s investigation says the alleged surveillance system was used against Moroccan activists and journalists internationally, illustrating how spyware can allow governments to monitor critics who have left the country.
The issue therefore extends beyond one government’s relationship with its domestic media. It raises questions about how commercially available surveillance technologies are sold, regulated and used across borders.
The Global Spyware Debate
The Moroccan allegations also add to a wider international debate over the sale and use of spyware such as Pegasus.
Governments and law-enforcement agencies argue that sophisticated surveillance tools can help combat terrorism and serious crime. Human-rights organisations, however, have repeatedly warned that weak safeguards can allow the same technologies to be used against journalists, lawyers, activists and political opponents.
The central challenge is ensuring that surveillance powers are subject to clear laws, judicial oversight and meaningful accountability.
For Morocco, Amnesty’s latest findings put renewed attention on whether its intelligence services operate within those safeguards.
Why It Matters
The allegations matter because a free press depends not only on the formal absence of censorship but also on journalists being able to communicate securely with sources, investigate powerful institutions and criticise government policy without intimidation.
If the allegations are substantiated, the reported use of spyware, covert recording and other surveillance techniques would represent a serious threat to privacy and freedom of expression.
For the international community, the case also underscores the need for stronger controls around the export and use of commercial spyware.
Morocco has rejected previous accusations of this kind, while Amnesty says its latest investigation provides new evidence from inside the country’s surveillance system.
The next question is therefore not only whether the allegations receive further scrutiny, but whether Morocco’s institutions and international technology suppliers can provide credible answers about who authorised surveillance, against whom it was used and what safeguards were in place.
