Catalan president calls for investigation as spyware targets pro-independence leaders

Pere Aragonès told the Guardian that the alleged targeting, revealed by Citizen Lab cybersecurity experts on Monday, constituted a violation of individual rights, an attack on democracy, and a threat to political dissent.

Although NSO Group claims that Pegasus is sold only to governments to track criminals and terrorists, a joint investigation two years ago by the Guardian and El País established that the speaker of the Catalan regional parliament and at least two other pro-independence supporters were warned the spyware had been used to target them.

The Catalan president said that while spying on any citizen was a serious matter, the apparent use of Pegasus against politicians, lawyers and civil society groups was particularly worrying.

Citizen Lab and Amnesty International have also called for an official inquiry into the matter.

The Spanish government has denied any wrongdoing, while the Policía Nacional and the Guardia Civil have said they have had no dealings whatsoever with NSO groups and have never used its services.

However, she said she could not comment on whether the CNI had access to Pegasus or whether it had ever deployed the programme.