Amnesty International's lawsuit to have Israel's Ministry of Defense revoke the export license of the controversial Israeli NSO surveillance firm received a setback today when an Israeli judge ruled that the case would be heard behind closed doors.
The Tel Aviv District judge cited national security concerns and accepting the Israeli Defense Ministry's request to bar the public and media from court hearings.
NSO Group's Pegasus software has allegedly been used by governments to spy on journalists and dissidents including the murdered Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. NSO insists that it provides its technology to government intelligence and law enforcement agencies to help them fight terrorism and serious crime.
In the lawsuit, Amnesty says that NSO profits from its spyware being used to commit abuses against activists around the world while the Israeli government has "stood by and watched it happen."
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on January 16, 2020
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