A brewing scandal in Italy has journalists and activists demanding answers from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government over allegations it illegally used powerful Paragon spyware to hack the phones of government critics. The mounting evidence has prompted Italy’s national journalists union to take the extraordinary step of filing a criminal complaint against the government.
Questions of Illegal Surveillance Shut Down in Parliament
Suspicions were first raised in late January when a migrant activist and investigative journalist Francesco Cancellato were among at least seven individuals in Italy whose phones showed signs of being targeted by Paragon’s military-grade Graphite spyware. This invasive technology is intended for monitoring criminals, not members of civil society.
Opposition MPs began demanding answers from Meloni’s administration in parliament. But in a move that has only fueled the scandal, the president of parliament Lorenzo Fontana signed a document on Tuesday invoking a rule that allows the government to refrain from responding, citing state secrecy. The government claims it has already shared all unclassified information.
By refusing to answer the questions in parliament, the government is laying bare its deep difficulties.
Luca Casarini, targeted activist
Spyware Contract Violations and Denials
While Meloni’s office has denied that domestic intelligence or the government were behind the alleged hacks, the evidence suggests otherwise. Paragon reportedly terminated its contract with Italy over what a company insider called a breach of the agreement terms, which forbid deploying the spyware against journalists or other civil society figures.
The Italian government initially denied the relationship had been severed, but late Friday, the intelligence agency AISE acknowledged the contract had been suspended pending an internal investigation. During questioning, AISE chief Giovanni Caravelli admitted using Paragon’s spyware but claimed it was not used on journalists or activists.
Journalists Union Files Criminal Complaint
Unsatisfied with the government’s evasiveness, the FNSI journalists union, along with the Italian Order of Journalists, has submitted a criminal complaint “against unknown individuals” to prosecutors in Rome. They are demanding a full accounting of who was targeted and by whom.
We want clarity, we want journalists to be able to do their job without the risk of being intercepted. We’re dealing with facts that not only violate the criminal code but the constitution itself.
Alessandra Costante, FNSI secretary general
According to Costante, it is unlikely that Cancellato was the only journalist targeted. The FNSI believes there is a concerted surveillance campaign against reporters and activists who have been critical of the government’s policies, especially regarding migration.
Activists Decry Unconstitutional Practices
Among those allegedly hacked was Luca Casarini, leader of the migrant NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans. Casarini has been an outspoken critic of Italy’s policies toward migrants in Libya. He sees the spyware attack as an intimidation tactic used against political opponents.
Legal experts point out that preventive wiretaps, or monitoring of individuals not yet charged with a crime, operate at the very limits of constitutionality in Italy. They may only be used in cases of serious threats to national security, usually involving potential terrorists or mafia figures.
Regardless of which agency deployed this spyware against me, these wiretaps are entirely illegal. There is no doubt that the targets are political opponents of the government.
Luca Casarini, targeted activist
Opposition Decries ‘Wound to Democracy’
Opposition figures have been quick to condemn the government’s stonewalling on the spyware scandal. Former prime minister Matteo Renzi accused Meloni’s administration of “wounding democracy” with its lack of transparency.
MP Federico Fornaro of the Democratic Party called the refusal to answer parliament’s questions “a slap in the face” to the institution. He and other opposition leaders are demanding a full public accounting.
Uncovering the Truth
As the criminal complaint proceeds and activists like Casarini seek their own investigations, the pressure is building on Meloni’s government to come clean about the spyware allegations.
With the integrity of Italy’s democracy and freedom of the press at stake, journalists and civil society groups are determined to uncover the full truth of who was illegally targeted, by whom, and why. The scandal has exposed the dangers of unaccountable government surveillance powers.
All eyes are now on the pending investigations, which could have major implications for digital privacy rights, government transparency, and the health of Italian democracy. In an age of ever more sophisticated spyware, robust protections and oversight are needed to prevent abuses that undermine fundamental civil liberties.
- Alleged illegal hacking of journalists and activists’ phones using Paragon spyware
- Government’s lack of transparency and use of state secrecy to evade accountability
- Journalists union files criminal complaint to demand names of targets and perpetrators
- Major implications for privacy rights, press freedom, and health of democracy in Italy
