UK-Based Dissident Can Sue Saudi Arabia For Alleged Spyware, Court Rules (reuters.com) 5
A judge has allowed Saudi dissident Yahya Assiri to sue the kingdom for allegedly targeting his devices with Pegasus spyware and other Israeli-made surveillance tools. Reuters reports: Yahya Assiri, a founder of the opposition National Assembly Party (NAAS) who lives in exile in Britain, alleges his electronic devices were targeted with surveillance software between 2018 and 2020. He is suing Saudi Arabia at London's High Court, saying the country used Pegasus - made by Israeli company NSO Group and sold only to nation states - and other spyware made by lesser-known Israeli firm QuaDream because of his work with dissidents.
Earlier this month, Roger Eastman, a judge in the High Court, gave Assiri permission to serve his lawsuit on the Saudi government, a step that required the court to find Assiri has an arguable case. The decision announced on Monday to allow the case to be served on Saudi Arabia in Riyadh was made on Oct. 11. Assiri said in a statement: "I am fully aware that the authorities will want to target me. However, it is outrageous for them also to target individuals such as the victims of rights abuses and their families in Saudi Arabia simply because these people have been in contact with me."
Earlier this month, Roger Eastman, a judge in the High Court, gave Assiri permission to serve his lawsuit on the Saudi government, a step that required the court to find Assiri has an arguable case. The decision announced on Monday to allow the case to be served on Saudi Arabia in Riyadh was made on Oct. 11. Assiri said in a statement: "I am fully aware that the authorities will want to target me. However, it is outrageous for them also to target individuals such as the victims of rights abuses and their families in Saudi Arabia simply because these people have been in contact with me."
Cool but what about the company actually... (Score:1)
The NSO group has been openly touting it's no-click hacks on iOS and Android since 2014. Apple even said in court that they can't secure their devices because of the NSO group but they recen
Re: (Score:2)
Unless the crime occurred in the UK, British courts have no jurisdiction over a crime against a Saudi citizen in Saudi Arabia.
British courts also have no jurisdiction over a sale by an Israeli company to the Saudi government.
Just because you don't like them doesn't give you jurisdiction over them.
Re: (Score:2)
It's not quite as simple as that - take a look at the oligarchs who use the judicial system to conduct lawfare in London.