The use of spyware has gotten out of control – also within the European Union. We have seen this during the last eight months of our work in the Pegasus Inquiry Committee, where I am shadow rapporteur.

This attack on our democracy is so grave that I hope we will be able to work together beyond national reflexes and across party lines in order to stop this.

We must provide more support to victims of spyware attacks. A spyware attack makes all sensitive data on the victim’s cell phone accessible to the perpetrators. Some governments use spyware to target people either on their own territory or abroad – and they spy on their own citizens as well as citizens of other countries. This violates international human rights standards and the rule of law.

Repressive regimes around the world use spyware to attack political opposition and dissidents. Thus, the widespread unlawful surveillance of individuals with spyware is not only a violation of the right to privacy, but can also contribute to other human rights abuses – such as unjustified detentions.

As the Greens/European Free Alliance Group, we therefore call for an immediate EU-wide moratorium on the use, sale and export of spyware, as well as an international ban on the most intrusive forms of such spyware.

Watch my entire speech here: