Journalists are apparent but important targets in such cases of Pegasus in India

Few days back, The Wire, one of the Indian non-profit news websites along with other international media organizations as a group investigation published breaking news about the leaked database of thousands of people including several Indian journalists, activists, lawyers and politicians. It was the exclusive information that was just released and surfaced multiple questions in mind, especially to the one who were targeted. According to the report, the news carried that approximately 300 verified Indian mobile telephone numbers were put under surveillance through the Pegasus which is an Israeli developed spyware by an unidentified agency.

40 journalists from Indian Express, Hindustan Times, wire was under the radar of phone tapping and was bugged particularly. As per the information provided by the wire, the report disclosed proper targeted names that included names of some experienced journalists, executive editor, defense and investigating correspondents, opposition political leaders, heads of security organizations and even two serving Union Ministers.

Although the clarity of who is behind the surveillance of such a huge number of selected people is still not achieved but this is hinted that influential people in respective fields are being monitored. A 40 years old journalist took her time out to talk to Eat News regarding the Pegasus expose but requested to keep her identity hidden because of her security and work policies. She commented on it, ‘When we all read the news, we were shocked and were on denial. But coming from a trusted news website and after reading the whole story and the procedure those involved organizations followed while carrying out the investigation, there is no option to not believe the information provided by them.’ Having an experience in this field of more than 15 years now, she described the hardships of a journalist and the minimum security they get on and off duty. ‘Well, it is quite evident that journalism is a dangerous profession. We cover action packed stories like wars, crime, investigative, and that mainly involve mafias, terrorists, politicians, powerful people that are capable of doing anything, just to bring the truth out. And this task is not at all easy, research, going on field requires confidence and most important a strong heart. We start off our projects with no security because journalism is a profession that runs on taking risks’, she said.

Reminiscing the old cases of violence Indian journalists have faced on duty and off duty, she added, ‘Journalists are unprotected. Let’s go in rewind and we will find enough evidences to believe on it. They have been murdered, assaulted, threatened, put under surveillance, kidnapped and what not! All just because of them performing their job tirelessly.’ Mentioned by the wire, 40 journalists that has a work background from Indian Express were aimed that undoubtedly showcase the poor performance of India on the rankings of world press freedom index. It has gone bad to worse as the year passed.

Maya (changed name) never observed the secured and better phase in her journalism journey and is still looking for it. In her opinion, ‘When I opted for journalism, I knew about the risk this profession carries and adventures. During my starting days, the state of journalism is still the same as it is now. Press freedom index definitely rolled down and I believe it will keep on due to the kind of work todays journalists are putting in front. Threatening and killing of journalists were still options before, as it is today and things have not improved in this field.’

On asking how obvious it was to locate journalists name on the list of phone tapping since they are the universal targets, to which she answered, ‘Because it never happened before in such a big number, phone tapping never really crossed the mind as a trap for journalists. We have conducted several operations where we gathered evidences through different ways and even got successful, but being a victim of phone tapping as a journalist is alarming and a hint to not continue a particular project or an investigation that is suppose to be done’.

From the day this news came out, opposition is demanding fair and open investigation into the matter whereas ruling political party is avoiding any kind of discussion and even mentioning of the Pegasus. ‘Although the investigation has not been started, neither the administration undertook the case or even publicly mentioned it, there has to be an action taken against this matter because spying at such a bigger level is only possible, somebody backing it from the powerful background.’

Cracking this Pegasus puzzle and finding the exact names of target was not an easy task but pulling it till the end, all the journalists, sources and people who were the part of it did groundbreaking job and what is impressive is that it was a joint international media organizations project that lifted the curtains from secret surveillance and exposed Pegasus.