Dominican Republic: Pegasus spyware discovered on prominent journalist’s phone

A high-profile woman journalist in the Dominican Republic has been targeted with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware, in the first confirmed case in the country, Amnesty International reveals in a new investigation published on World Press Freedom Day.

Analysis by Amnesty International’s Security Lab confirmed that a mobile device belonging to Nuria Piera was targeted and infected with Pegasus, which enables full and unrestricted access to a device, three times between 2020 and 2021. Piera is an investigative journalist who has focused on issues of corruption and impunity in the Dominican Republic throughout her decades-long career.

The latest discovery means there are now at least 18 countries, where it has been confirmed with forensics that journalists were targeted with spyware, though the actual scale of this abuse of surveillance technology is likely to be much higher. The Dominican Republic is the third country in the Americas, after Mexico and El Salvador, where Amnesty International has confirmed the use of Pegasus to target journalists and human rights defenders.

“The Dominican Republic is the latest country where spyware is being weaponized to silence and intimidate courageous journalists. Having already uncovered multiple cases in Mexico and El Salvador, we will continue to investigate any evidence that arises of the possible further use of Pegasus in the Dominican Republic. We call on states to urgently adopt a global moratorium on spyware,” said Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International.

Spyware exposed

Amnesty International’s investigation found evidence of Nuria Piera’s device first being compromised with Pegasus on or around 20 July 2020. Similar signs were also discovered on or around 8 September 2021 and 1 October 2021. Amnesty International also shared forensic data with The Citizen Lab for peer-review, who confirmed the conclusions using their independent methodology.

Nuria Piera told Amnesty International she was working on sensitive, high-profile investigations around the time her device was infected with Pegasus. She was looking into reports of corruption related to high-ranking government officials and relatives of the nation’s former president; months later, criminal judicial proceedings were brought against them for alleged bribery and other criminal charges.

Having already uncovered multiple cases in Mexico and El Salvador, we will continue to investigate any evidence that arises of the possible further use of Pegasus in the Dominican Republic.

Erika Guevara-Rosas, Americas director at Amnesty International

Piera first received confirmation that she had been targeted by Pegasus when notified by Amnesty International’s Security Lab. In November 2021, she received the Apple notification that was sent to users whose devices were reportedly attacked by exploits used by Pegasus and Quadream’s spyware, which has been linked to Pegasus. Piera stated that she had never received a judicial order or any other formal notifications from the Dominican authorities that she was under surveillance, nor told any of the reasons behind it.

These invasive tactics can be particularly harmful to women journalists, who often face gender-based attacks, including accusations of having violated traditional social, sexual or moral norms.

“You have to work hard to not become neurotic, because you’re always suspicious that someone may have information about you. It’s like being in quicksand. It really affects your sense of freedom, how free you feel to speak up. Sometimes you don’t even know how they want to hurt you, through you or through your loved ones. You then feel responsible, which is even more serious” Nuria Piera said.

Amnesty International urges the authorities to promptly conduct an independent, impartial, and transparent investigation into the unlawful targeted surveillance of journalists in the country, including the targeted attack with Pegasus on Nuria Piera.

“In a country where journalists and human rights defenders have long alleged that surveillance is prevalent, finding Pegasus should be taken as a concerning threat. Since surveillance poses enormous risks to the physical safety and mental wellbeing of journalists, and may place their sources, colleagues, friends, and family in harm’s way, the Dominican authorities must immediately investigate this case and provide effective safeguards to protect journalists and prevent this from happening again,” said Elina Castillo Jiménez, Digital Surveillance Researcher at Amnesty International.