Santo Domingo.- On May 2, Amnesty International issued a warning about the notorious Pegasus spyware operating in the Dominican Republic. The organization specifically highlighted an attack on investigative journalist Nuria Piera and identified the country as the third in the Americas, following Mexico and El Salvador, where Pegasus has been confirmed to target both journalists and human rights advocates.
Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International, stated, “After uncovering multiple cases in Mexico and El Salvador, we will persist in investigating any evidence suggesting further usage of Pegasus in the Dominican Republic.”
Nuria Piera, an investigative journalist cited by Amnesty, shared her experience: “At times, it’s challenging not to become paranoid, as there’s always the suspicion that someone is spying on you. It feels like walking on quicksand and significantly impacts your sense of freedom and ability to express your opinions. Sometimes, you’re unsure how they intend to harm you – whether it’s directly or through your loved ones. This makes you feel responsible, which is even worse.”
Amnesty International’s report calls on authorities to promptly conduct an independent, impartial, and transparent investigation into the unlawful targeted surveillance of journalists in the nation.
As explained by the OCCRP consortium of investigative journalists on their website, Pegasus is software developed by the Israeli firm NSO Group, which enables remote control of mobile devices without the user’s knowledge.
There are various methods for Pegasus to infiltrate a mobile device. One classic approach requires user interaction, such as clicking on a link sent via SMS, WhatsApp, email, or a message seen on social media, or downloading files.