Morocco: CPJ Urges Morocco to End Press Surveillance Following Amnesty Report

What the report says

The Committee to Protect Journalists is urging Moroccan authorities to end what it describes as unlawful surveillance of journalists, following a new Amnesty International investigation. The report, published in New York and dated Oct. 1, says Morocco’s intelligence services used spyware and other monitoring methods against journalists, human rights defenders and other critical voices.

According to the material cited by CPJ, Amnesty’s findings point to Morocco’s General Directorate for Territorial Surveillance, or DGST, as being linked to the deployment of Pegasus spyware and to wider digital and physical surveillance practices. The investigation reportedly drew on a former DGST employee, forensic analysis, leaked surveillance data and interviews with targeted individuals.

The report says an analysis of 103 Moroccan phone numbers identified 22 journalists and media workers as potential targets. It also describes tactics such as phone interception, location tracking and covert audio and video recording. CPJ said the alleged surveillance created serious risks for press freedom and called for accountability and protections so journalists can work without intimidation or misuse of private information.

Among the journalists named are Omar Radi and Hicham Mansouri. The article says Radi had previously been identified as a Pegasus target, while Mansouri said years of monitoring contributed to self-censorship. Moroccan authorities have denied using spyware against citizens, and CPJ said it sought comment from the Interior Ministry without response.