The software was found in the phone of lawyer Roman Giertych, who before the 2019 election represented two of Poland’s leading opposition politicians, former Prime Minister Donald Tusk and former Foreign Minister Radek Sikorski.
Pegasus software has also been found on the phone of Polish public prosecutor Ewa Wrzosek, who has led the criticism of the Polish government’s attack on the judiciary’s independence in the country.
Will not respond
A spokesman for the Polish security service, Stanislaw Zaryn, will not answer questions about whether the Polish authorities are on the NSO Group’s customer list.
Allegations that Polish services use operational methods for political purposes are unjustified, according to Zaryn.
A few hours before Zaryn responded in writing to questions from the AP about the case, the prosecuting authority in the country asked for an arrest warrant for Giertych, allegedly in connection with an investigation into economic crime. The lawyer calls the accusations absurd.
Purchased software
The independent Polish broadcaster TVN revealed in 2019 that Polish ecocrime had bought spy software for use in phones for 8 million dollars, but it is not known from whom.
Pegasus software has previously been found on the phones of political leaders, regime critics, human rights activists, lawyers, journalists and others around the world.
The US has put the NSO Group on its blacklist, and the company is also being sued by the IT giant Apple.
NSO Group denies any wrongdoing and claims the software was only sold to countries for use in the fight against terrorism and crime.
(©NTB)
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