Italy Ends Contracts with Israeli Spyware Firm Paragon After Surveillance Scandal
Italy has ended its contracts with Israeli spyware firm Paragon following political outrage over revelations that the surveillance technology was used against government critics, including journalists and migrant rescue workers. The intelligence oversight committee COPASIR confirmed in a parliamentary report released Monday that Italy’s intelligence agencies initially paused, then terminated, their use of Paragon’s spyware.
The exact timeline of the contract’s termination remains unclear, especially since Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government told parliament in February that the deal was still active. Both the Italian government and Paragon acknowledged ending the contract but offered differing accounts of the situation.
The controversy sparked condemnation from opposition parties and press freedom advocates. Italy’s journalists’ union, FNSI, called on prosecutors to investigate whether state surveillance laws were violated.
Paragon’s spyware reportedly targeted individuals in Italy, including a journalist and members of Mediterranea, a migrant rescue group frequently critical of Meloni’s right-wing administration. In January, Meta-owned WhatsApp revealed the spyware had been used against dozens worldwide, including some in Italy.
The government admitted that seven Italians were surveilled but insisted all monitoring was lawful and conducted under public prosecutor oversight. It denied any illegal spying and assigned the National Cybersecurity Agency to review the matter.
Journalist Francesco Cancellato, editor of the investigative outlet Fanpage, claimed to Reuters and others that he was under surveillance. However, COPASIR found no evidence supporting this claim. Paragon stated it stopped providing services to Italy after Cancellato’s case surfaced and accused the Italian government of rejecting a joint investigation.
The report disclosed that Italy’s intelligence services authorized Paragon spyware use in 2023 and 2024 to monitor a limited number of individuals tied to criminal investigations involving suspected terrorism, human smuggling, and espionage.
COPASIR defended surveillance of Mediterranea members Luca Casarini and Beppe Caccia, clarifying it was based on suspected irregular migration links rather than their activism. The spyware deployment was approved on September 5, 2024, by Alfredo Mantovano, Meloni’s chief intelligence adviser, who has not responded to interview requests.
Last month, a Sicilian court ordered Casarini, Caccia, and four others to stand trial for allegedly facilitating irregular immigration—a case seen as a test of Italy’s stance on migrant rescues. All defendants deny the charges.
With input from Al Jazeera
