Privacy International Suits UK for Supplying Al-Khalifa Regime with Spyware

The Privacy International, the human rights group, is suing the British government, on account of its role in allowing the export of advanced surveillance technology to Bahrain, RT website reported.

The P.I. has filed an application for judicial review of Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC) on the spyware that has been used by repressive regimes worldwide, including that of Bahrain, to spy on opposition groups.

“In the wrong hands, today’s surveillance technologies can have devastating effects, and the public, especially victims targeted by this surveillance, have a right to know what the UK government is doing about it,” said head of research at Privacy International, Eric King.

Among devices being exported include ‘IMSI catchers’, which take on the guise of normal mobile phone masts and can identify phone users and malware, while allowing any interception to remain undetected.

Additionally, Trojan Horse software can allow hackers to remotely activate a telephone’s camera and microphone, allowing covert surveillance.

Human rights groups have repeatedly called for the export of surveillance software to be regulated in the same way as arms.

Germany and the Zionist entity have also been found to have been exporting surveillance technology.