Amnesty International Accuses Morocco's Intelligence Service of Widespread Surveillance Targeting Journalists and Activists

Amnesty International has issued a damning report accusing Morocco's domestic intelligence service of operating a sweeping surveillance apparatus designed to monitor and ultimately silence journalists, human rights defenders, and other critical voices. The report, published on Thursday, alleges that the Directorate General for Territorial Surveillance (DGST) has employed a combination of sophisticated spyware, hidden recording devices, and compromised telecommunications networks to conduct what the organization describes as unlawful surveillance of Moroccan citizens.

The findings, detailed in a report titled "Inside Morocco's surveillance machine," draw on testimony from a former DGST employee, leaked internal documents, and prior journalistic investigations. According to Amnesty, the surveillance program represents a deliberate strategy by Moroccan authorities to suppress dissent and intimidate those who challenge government policies or expose potential abuses. The rights organization characterized the surveillance infrastructure as both expansive and deeply entrenched within the country's security apparatus.

At the center of the allegations is Morocco's reported use of Pegasus spyware, a powerful hacking tool developed by the Israeli cybersecurity firm NSO Group. Amnesty has previously joined other nongovernmental organizations in accusing Rabat of deploying the software against journalists, activists, and political opponents. The new report specifically identifies the DGST as the agency responsible for operating Pegasus within Morocco, alleging that the spyware was used against targeted individuals between 2017 and 2021.

Amnesty's Security Lab, which conducted technical analysis for the report, said it matched 103 Moroccan phone numbers that were entered into the Pegasus system between September and December 2017 to specific individuals. The breakdown of those targets reveals a clear pattern: 65 were members of civil society organizations, including 34 human rights defenders and 22 journalists or media workers. Another 25 were political figures or government officials, while five were diplomats or representatives of international organizations.

Donncha O Cearbhaill, who leads Amnesty's Security Lab, noted that the records demonstrate the phone numbers of prominent human rights defenders and journalists were among the first to be fed into the Pegasus system. This timing suggests that the surveillance program was not a reactive measure but rather a proactive effort to monitor and potentially disrupt civil society activity from its earliest stages.

Beyond digital spyware, the report describes a broader ecosystem of surveillance that combines high-tech tools with more conventional methods. According to the whistleblower's account, Moroccan authorities have employed physical tailing and wiretapping alongside their digital capabilities. The report alleges that individuals are secretly recorded—both audio and video—in detention facilities, their own offices and vehicles, and even within the privacy of their bedrooms. Phone calls are systematically intercepted and monitored, according to the testimony.

The report further claims that the DGST has developed methods to compromise devices before they even reach users. According to the whistleblower, shops in Morocco sell mobile phones that have been pre-infected with malware planted by intelligence agents. The source also alleged that internet cafes have been infected with remote-controlled spyware, and that devices belonging to targeted individuals have been physically compromised at airports.

One particularly striking allegation involves hidden microphones discovered in the light fixtures of an apartment belonging to journalist Omar Radi, who was later imprisoned. The placement of listening devices in a journalist's home suggests a level of invasive surveillance that goes far beyond what might be justified by national security concerns, according to rights advocates.

Amnesty also reported evidence that spyware was delivered through the state-owned Maroc Telecom network, potentially compromising the communications infrastructure that millions of Moroccans rely on daily. The organization additionally alleged that Morocco has purchased surveillance tools from companies based in Israel, the European Union, and the United States, raising questions about the international supply chain that enables such operations.

The report accuses Moroccan authorities of using the personal data collected through surveillance to fuel public smear campaigns against activists and human rights defenders. This tactic, according to Amnesty, serves a dual purpose: it discredits targeted individuals while creating a chilling effect that discourages others from speaking out or engaging in activism.

Agnes Callamard, Amnesty International's Secretary-General, said the findings demonstrate that Morocco has "wholly embraced techno-authoritarian practices." The characterization suggests that the country has moved beyond isolated incidents of surveillance into a systematic approach to controlling dissent through technological means.

Moroccan authorities have consistently denied allegations of using spyware against their own citizens. Amnesty said it sent a letter to Moroccan officials four weeks before publishing the report but received no response. Al Jazeera, which contributed to the reporting, said it could not immediately reach Moroccan officials for comment.

The investigation was conducted as part of a collaboration with 14 media organizations coordinated by Forbidden Stories, a nonprofit journalism network that specializes in continuing the work of reporters who have been threatened, imprisoned, or killed. This collaborative approach has become increasingly common in investigations involving sophisticated surveillance technology, where multiple outlets can pool resources and expertise to verify complex technical claims.

Amnesty has called on Moroccan authorities to immediately cease the surveillance activities described in the report and to dismantle the infrastructure that enables them. The organization also urged foreign governments to suspend exports of spyware and surveillance technology to Morocco until adequate human rights safeguards are established and enforced. The recommendations reflect growing international concern about the proliferation of commercial spyware and its use against civil society actors.

The report's findings are likely to intensify scrutiny of Morocco's human rights record and its relationships with technology suppliers abroad. They also raise broader questions about the global trade in surveillance tools and the responsibility of exporting nations to ensure their products are not used to violate human rights. For journalists and activists in Morocco, the report may confirm long-held suspicions about the extent of state monitoring while underscoring the risks they face in continuing their work.