London (UK), October 3, 2026 (SPS) – Amnesty International has revealed that digital surveillance linked to the Moroccan authorities has extended beyond Sahrawi human rights defenders to people associated with their cases, including family members and lawyers.
The organization highlighted the case of Sahrawi civil prisoner Naâma Asfari, who remains imprisoned in Morocco and whose case has involved torture complaints before UN mechanisms. Asfari is currently on an open-ended hunger strike with fellow Gdeim Izik prisoners, demanding their rights.
According to Amnesty International’s latest report, published on September 29, Asfari’s partner, Claude Mangin, was targeted with Pegasus spyware while in France. Earlier forensic analysis by Amnesty confirmed that Mangin’s phone had been compromised with Pegasus and cited her case among evidence submitted to NSO Group concerning the misuse of the spyware in Morocco.
Amnesty said the targeting forms part of a broader pattern of Moroccan surveillance affecting family members, lawyers, and the social and professional networks of targeted individuals. It warned that such surveillance is particularly concerning when those targeted have legal or human rights roles, as access to their communications can expose information about cases, victims and witnesses.
Related blogs
