Jordanian authorities deployed Israeli-made Cellebrite phone-cracking tools against at least seven activists and human rights defenders detained for criticizing the Gaza war, from late 2023 to mid-2025. A January 2026 Citizen Lab report revealed forensic traces on victims' returned iPhones and Android devices, showing authorities extracted private chats, GPS locations, passwords, and even deleted files. This data fueled prosecutions under Jordan's strict 2023 Cybercrime Law, which critics say stifles dissent. Citizen Lab identified dozens more suspected cases since 2020.
Separately, 2019-2023: NSO Group's Pegasus spyware—another Israeli product—infected over 35 phones of journalists, lawyers, and Human Rights Watch staff via sophisticated zero-click exploits like PWNYOURHOME. No user interaction needed; it granted remote access to cameras, mics, and encrypted apps. Prominent target: HRW researcher Adam Coogle. Access Now and Amnesty documented the infections; Jordan denied state involvement but evidence implicated security forces.
Cellebrite insists it sells only to vetted governments requiring legal warrants and screens clients for human rights records. NSO faced a US blacklist in 2021 over global abuses. Victims have filed lawsuits in multiple countries seeking accountability, while Amman defends the tools as essential for counter-terrorism and public order amid regional unrest. Rights groups like Amnesty International warn of a pattern silencing pro-Palestine voices, calling for spyware export bans. No officials charged yet; diplomatic tensions with Israel persist despite tech ties.
