The commissioner responded to the police after the allegations of illegal surveillance: "We will continue to use the tools, and even upgrade them"

Kobi Shabtai stressed in a letter to police that "there is no basis for allegations of police spying on its citizens," after the investigation revealed that the organization uses NSO's "Pegasus" spyware, and the ombudsman's announcement of setting up a team to look into the matter. "We maintain these capabilities. From every guard and they are strictly supervised "

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21/01/2022

Friday, 21 January 2022, 11:18 Updated: 11:36

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In the video: Discussion in the Constitution Committee on the publication of the police's use of NSO's Pegasus spyware (Knesset Channel)

Commissioner of Police Kobi Shabtai today (Friday) denied the allegations regarding the police's illegal surveillance of civilians through NSO's Pegasus software, which emerged from a Calcalist investigation, and backed the police officers. Of civilians and innocent demonstrators, "Saturn wrote in a letter to police," there is no basis for allegations about a police force spying on its citizens. " "I want to

reassure

you and say that our use of technological tools by law will continue, and our goal is to continue to develop and upgrade these tools," Saturn wrote. "Whoever wants to be relevant in the fight against crime must do so."

Saturn (Photo: Reuven Castro)

"There is not and has not been a scenario in which the police violated the unwritten protection contract between themselves and the citizens of the country.

You know best of all, that we use the technological tools at our disposal against criminals or those who seek to commit dangerous offenses. In them in the most meticulous manner, "Saturn added.

"It also appears from the ombudsman's letter that the police employ experts and consultants in the field in accordance with the norm, and not as claimed in some of the publications.

In addition, the ombudsman ruled that the use of these measures is carried out in accordance with the law, and in full transparency with the courts and the control mechanisms over the entire process. "

More on Walla!

Let's talk about targeted counterterrorism against Israeli citizens

To the full article

This week, an investigation was published in Calcalist, which shows that the police tracked Israelis using NSO's Pegasus software, which was implanted remotely in telephones, without court approval and supervision.

The software took over the phones of protesters, employees of a government company, opponents of the Pride Parade and even mayors and close associates of a senior politician, listened to their phone calls and watched their correspondence.

The follow-up was conducted, among other things, to find evidence of crimes that citizens were suspected of committing or involved in, or to find information that would help put pressure on interrogees.

Following the publication in the political system, they called for the establishment of a committee of inquiry into the matter, and some members of the Knesset even demanded the dismissal of the director general.

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