New Delhi: The Editors Guild of India Sunday expressed “deep concern” over an investigation by The New York Times that claims Pegasus — the military-grade spyware allegedly deployed by several governments against opposition leaders and activists, among others — was a “centrepiece” of a 2017 deal between India and Israel.
The claims in the report, the Editors Guild said, “are in stark contrast to the stance of the Government of India, which has been and continues to be vague and non-committal in its response to these extremely serious allegations that whether they purchased the spyware, and more disturbingly, if it was used against Indian citizens, including journalists and civil society members”.
An international investigation had claimed last year that India was among the countries where Pegasus was used to conduct or at least attempt surveillance on certain people, including journalists.
The Israeli manufacturer of Pegasus, NSO Group, claims its products help “licensed government intelligence and law-enforcement agencies lawfully address the most dangerous issues in today’s world”.
The government has denied “unauthorised interception” but neither confirmed nor denied whether it is one of NSO Group’s clients.
Here’s the full Editors Guild statement:
The Editors Guild of India notes with deep concern, the claims made in the recent investigative report by The New York Times, that in 2017 the Indian and Israeli governments “had agreed on the sale of a package of sophisticated weapons and intelligence gear worth roughly $2 billion — with Pegasus and a missile system as the centrepieces”.
The claims in the NYT are in stark contrast to the stance of the Government of India, which has been and continues to be vague and non-committal in its response to these extremely serious allegations that whether they purchased the spyware, and more disturbingly, if it was used against Indian citizens, including journalists and civil society members.
The Guild has written to the committee headed by Justice Raveendran, which was instituted by the Hon’ble Supreme Court of India to inquire into and investigate the use of Pegasus spyware against Indian citizens, to take cognisance of the claims made in these reports, and seek responses on affidavit from the Government of India, the CAG, as well as the secretaries of all the possible ministries that may have been involved with claimed purchase of the spyware.
Earlier, in November 2021, the Guild had written a detailed letter to the committee with suggestions, amongst others, regarding the procedures for the inquiry to be done by the committee as well as suggestions with respect to witnesses and evidence to be examined by the committee. The Guild had also offered assistance in any manner to the committee.
The letters sent to Justice Raveendran and the technical committee members are being attached with this statement.
The Guild reiterates its consistent stance that the proceedings of the committee be kept open to public at large so that there is complete transparency with respect to the witnesses being called as well as their responses.