I knew my government was spying on me throughout the five years I was
banned from leaving Azerbaijan. But I never fully understood the scale
of the surveillance.
National authorities didn’t just hack my mobile phone, they commandeered
it with software that allowed them to grab nearly all of my data —
even turn on my phone’s microphone and camera whenever they liked.
I learned that my phone was infected from my colleagues at OCCRP, who secretly worked on the Pegasus Project
for months with journalists from 16 other outlets, including the
Washington Post, the Guardian, and Forbidden Stories, which coordinated
the project.
We recently met for the first time in seven years after Azerbaijan
lifted my travel ban. You can watch the moment we reunited in the video
below. It also shows the moment they informed me about Pegasus.
_______________________
The Pegasus Project: Life for Khadija Ismayilova in Azerbaijan’s Digital Autocracy
Khadija Ismayilova is Azerbaijan’s most renowned investigative journalist. For her pioneering work, she had spent 18 months in prison, five years under a travel ban and been targeted for surveillance.
The #PegasusProject was coordinated by Forbidden Stories with help from Amnesty International and included OCCRP and 15 other media organizations.
I
am hardly the only victim. The Pegasus Project revealed many
journalists, activists, and political opponents who were potential
victims of this phone hacking software.
As a journalist who reports on a corrupt regime, I understand that I’m a
bigger target than most citizens. But secretive government surveillance
doesn’t only affect the target.
My sources, my family, and my friends have also been swept up in the
state’s campaign against me. I shudder to think of the consequences they
may face, just because they know me.
Unfortunately, we know what this retribution can
look like. Intimate photos of Fatima Movlamli, a young activist known
for her one-woman demonstrations against the government, were published
on social media after she was detained.
Fatima believes authorities obtained these photos after they forced her
to hand over her password. But we now also know that Fatima’s number was
selected as a target of Pegasus. I encourage you to read her first-hand account of what it was like to be beaten and humiliated at the hands of the state.
I will end this email by asking for your support, so OCCRP can
continue investigating abuses of power. Donations go directly towards
funding our global network of investigative journalists. You will also
gain access to exclusive membership benefits, including live webinars
with OCCRP reporters. You can make a contribution here.
Thank you so much for your time,
Khadija Ismayilova
Journalist
Pegasus Project: Στόχοι «κατασκοπείας» δημοσιογράφοι, ακτιβιστές και πολιτικοί . Και η Ελλάδα είναι στη λίστα!
Δεν υπάρχουν σχόλια:
Δημοσίευση σχολίου