The prosecutor general of Poland revealed to parliament that the powerful Pegasus spyware was used against hundreds of individuals, including elected officials, during the previous government’s tenure. Adam Bodnar expressed shock and disappointment at the extensive surveillance that took place, stating that even individuals in the parliament may have been victims of this system. While specific details of the surveillance targets were not disclosed due to confidentiality, it was revealed that the spyware was utilized by three government agencies from 2017 to 2022, targeting a total of 578 people.
The Pegasus spyware, developed by the NSO Group in Israel, has been marketed as a tool to combat crime and terrorism. However, concerns have been raised about its misuse by governments to target political opponents, journalists, and human rights activists. The Biden administration took action in response to these concerns by blacklisting the NSO Group in 2021 and imposing visa restrictions on individuals involved in the misuse of commercial spyware. Pegasus provides operators with complete access to a mobile device, allowing them to extract sensitive information and conduct real-time surveillance through the device’s microphone and camera.
Under the previous government led by the Law and Justice party, the use of Pegasus sparked accusations of power abuse and the erosion of democratic norms in Poland. Prime Minister Donald Tusk, who assumed office in December as part of a pro-European Union coalition, launched investigations into the use of the spyware in an effort to restore democratic principles. Lawmakers highlighted the damaging impact of Pegasus on democracy in Poland, with concerns raised about the legality and justification of its use. While Law and Justice leader Jarosław Kaczyński defended the use of Pegasus as lawful, current Minister of Security Services Tomasz Siemoniak acknowledged that it was unjustifiably used in many cases.
Efforts to address the misuse of Pegasus in Poland are underway, with Bodnar working to uphold judicial independence following the previous government’s interference in the justice system. The European Union had previously withheld funding from Poland due to concerns about democratic backsliding, but with the change in government, funds are now being released. Lawmakers, including those from Tusk’s Civic Coalition, are advocating for accountability and transparency in the use of surveillance tools like Pegasus, emphasizing the need to protect constitutional rights and uphold democratic values. Investigation into the use of Pegasus remains ongoing, with a focus on preventing further abuses of power and protecting civil liberties in Poland.
