Rabat reiterates full rejection of Amnesty’s report

RABAT - Morocco reiterated Thursday its full rejection of human rights organisation Amnesty International’s report that accused the North African of hacking journalist Omar Radi’s mobile phone.

Amnesty published on June 22 a report alleging that Radi’s mobile phone was subjected to several attacks using a "sophisticated new technique" that silently installed Israeli cyber company NSO's Pegasus spyware, a claim that Moroccan authorities vehemently dismissed as “baseless.”

During a meeting held today, the Moroccan government said that the NGO had not yet provided Moroccan authorities with the evidence that supported its accusations.

The government denounced the systematic campaign of abuse against Morocco and its institutions.

It stressed that the report's claim “that a Moroccan journalist was the victim of an espionage operation by Moroccan authorities, by subjecting his phone to multiple attacks using the advanced technology of a foreign company” was a serious accusation without evidence that reflected Amnesty’s involvement and systematic prejudice against the North African country and the underestimation of its human rights progress and gains recognised worldwide.

The government stressed that it would take the necessary measures to defend its national security to enlighten both the domestic and international public opinion regarding these rejected fallacies.

Morocco, which has been the victim to an unjust international smear campaign, insists on obtaining an official response from this organization on the veracity of physical evidence used against Morocco on this matter.

“Morocco, which was subjected to an unjust international defamation campaign, insists on obtaining an official response from the organisation that claims to defend its human rights on the veracity of physical evidence used against Morocco on this matter,” concluded the government in a statement.

Radi is being investigated for alleged ties to a foreign agent, whose identity was not disclosed by Moroccan authorities as part of its commitment to uphold international diplomatic traditions.

He was summoned on June 24 as part of an investigation into his alleged involvement in a case of receiving "funds from abroad in connection with intelligence services."

The prosecutor said that the probe was being carried out following information relayed on social networks about the allegations against Radi.

An interior ministry source said that this foreign agent had been the subject of leaks back in July 2013, with his full identity disclosed and after working under diplomatic cover since 1979, in a number of conflict zones around the world.