Posted on 4 February 2026b by ADHRB: London’s High Court ruled in Ghaneem al-Masarir’s favour, in his case against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, last week. Al-Masarir accused Saudi Arabia of having hacked his mobile devices with Pegasus spyware and having ordered a physical attack on him in 2018.
Al-Masarir fled Saudi Arabia in 2003, for fear of persecution for his activism. He has been residing in the United Kingdom ever since, having been granted asylum in 2018.
In 2018, he discovered his devices had been hacked with spyware, which extracts all data held on the device, has access to the camera, media, microphone, emails, text messages and various other functions, enabling complete surveillance of the victim, as well as all those they contact on the device. Shortly after the discovery, al-Masarir was victim to a physical assault by two men in West London. The attack was connected to the Saudi regime, as the men demanded who al-Masarir thought himself to be to talk badly about the Saudi royal family, according to his lawyers. The Judge in the case stated the Saudi regime had a ‘clear interest and motivation to shut down al-Masarir’s public criticism of the Saudi government.”
In 2022, Saudi Arabia appealed, arguing it had immunity as a state under the 1978 State Immunity Act, when this appeal was rejected, Saudi Arabia ceased to partake in the case, raising questions if al-Masarir will ever receive the compensation.
Al-Masarir’s is not a sole case, in 2021 an investigation concluded that hundreds of British citizens’ devices had been hacked by Pegasus spyware, including Yahya Assiri, the founder of London based human rights organization ALQST. In 2024, Assiri accused Saudi Arabia of using spyware against him at a UK High Court, the case is ongoing. [ see also: https://humanrightsdefenders.blog/2016/08/29/apple-tackles-iphone-one-tap-spyware-flaws-after-mea-laureate-discovers-hacking-attempt/]
Al-Masarir winning his case against Saudi Arabia is an important step toward holding the regime accountable for its illegal use of spyware to silence critics, as a form of transnational repression.
The right to freedom of expression must be protected. Human rights defenders must feel safe to critique the wrongdoings of their government. Spyware must not be abused in the silencing of dissidents. Human rights safeguards must be put in place in the sale of spyware, to protect all activists.
Ghaneem al-Masarir, along with all other victims of Saudi Arabia’s cybercrimes, must receive justice for the violation of their fundamental right to privacy. .
Hans Thoolen on Human Rights Defenders and their awards 
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