Pegasus, Israel, and Human Rights

The Pegasus phenomenon, discovered by researchers and journalists, has caused a global scandal. This program was created by an Israeli company to neutralize terrorism and prevent the threat of criminal circles. As a result, through this program, they were, in fact, learning the secrets of the most progressive people in authoritarian governments around the world and passing them on to those governments.

Through this program, the NSO company has managed to completely control all telephone conversations, correspondence, and trajectories of movement of 1,038 people. Of these, the phones and correspondence of 600 politicians and 189 media representatives were under full control, and more than 50,000 contacts were identified. The OCCRP representative said that only 250 out of 1,038 people in Azerbaijan had been identified. The remaining 788 people will not be disclosed. This allows for very ambiguous and dubious behind-the-scenes conspiracy considerations.

Which countries gave this order?

Many countries have used these opportunities of Pegasus. For example, the Mexican government took advantage of the company's innovations and used them to take action against drug lords. The telephones of the presidents of Iran, Russia, and Turkey were also among those kept under surveillance. This program also listened to the telephones of French President Macron.

Some states have used these opportunities differently. They did so not to monitor the citizens of their own country but to be aware of the spy network of the enemy state or the measures planned against them. Countries such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Azerbaijan have used the program to clarify the views of those who are in opposition among their citizens and take preventive measures against them.

Israel's innovation and economic power

The Pegasus program was developed by an Israeli company called NSO (group). The company was established in 2010. The name of the company is symbolized by the initials of the names of the founders. The founders of the company are employees of the Israeli special services. The market value of NSO after the sale of securities in 2019 was estimated at $ 1 billion. In 2020, the company's revenue was $ 243 million.

Interestingly, the state of Israel itself considered the Pegasus as a spy weapon. Therefore, the company sold Pegasus software not to private entities but only to the state. If a person's phone is connected to the Internet, then it is not difficult to get all the information on that phone. It can turn on your video camera and sound microphone, even if you don't want to. It is possible to steal all the information that belongs to you from your memory against your will. You are carrying a spy in your pocket. Pegasus is a computer program that can be easily downloaded to all phones. According to The New York Times, in 2016, Pegasus sold its 10-person program for $ 650,000. Taking into account the expansion of technological capabilities and the growing interest of countries in this program, it is clear that the company has agreed to a contract with the Azerbaijani government to watch 1,038 people at a higher price.

Areas (supercomputers, cybersecurity, etc.) where Israel, as a state, has allocated more funds in recent years are now more and more visible. WEIZAS, one of the modern computers in the Middle East, was created in the 1930s before Israel was founded (1948).

Israel receives its oil demand from Azerbaijan, not from any resource-rich Arab state. 40% of Israel's total oil demand is imported by Azerbaijan via the BTC pipeline. This ratio is expected to increase to 50% by 2025. So, we sell our oil, and in return, we transfer large sums of money in the amount of hundreds of millions of dollars to the bank account of the company of that country to listen to our citizens.

Human rights and the context of interference with private life

The global scandal caused by the Pegasus program creates a serious need for the whole world to take action against it. Taking "undesirable people" under surveillance at the global level with the power of such a digital weapon could eventually result in their silencing. This is against the human will. If no action is taken against it on a global scale, a violation of human rights and freedoms could become ordinary in the world in the future. It will also lead to the disclosure of personal secrets of individuals, companies, and states.

By the way, the name of the Pegasus program was first mentioned in 2018 during the murder in one of the embassies in Turkey. Such that the use of this program was noted in the case of Jamal Khashoggi, a journalist from the United Arab Emirates, who was killed that year and whose body was cut into pieces and packed in suitcases.

Legal proceedings against Pegasus are expected. So in the past, there were those who took such steps against it. WhatsApp has filed a lawsuit against Pegasus in the United States in 2019. Microsoft and Google have also taken similar steps against Pegasus. The legal disputes are still ongoing.

The struggle of authoritarian regimes against opposing people was also aided by Pegasus. In fact, this interference with private life has resulted in gross violations of human rights and freedoms at the international level. More specifically, this is a deliberate violation of Article 18 of the Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms.

After a lot of analysis, there are two main ways to get rid of Pegasus: either you have to pay special attention to all your actions and words under a microscope or you have to break the spy weapon you carry in your pocket. You should not share your secrets with another person over the phone. Or you should talk to yourself silently...

Because innovative technological development offers no other choice...

Mammed Talibli