Migrant activist in Italy alerts ICC to spyware attack; urges phone checks

David Yambio, a Sudanese activist living in Italy and a former migrant detainee in Libya, has raised alarms with the International Criminal Court (ICC) about his phone being targeted with spyware while he shared sensitive information about migrant abuse in Libya, according to The Guardian. Yambio is calling on ICC officials to inspect their devices for potential surveillance.

Yambio revealed that Apple first notified him of the possible attack in November. The Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, which specializes in monitoring digital surveillance of civil society members, confirmed the breach this week.

The origin of the attack and the specific spyware used remain unclear, though Apple described it as “extremely sophisticated.”

Citizen Lab further confirmed that several other activists associated with Yambio were similarly targeted with spyware linked to Paragon Solutions, an Israeli digital surveillance company.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is now facing scrutiny over allegations that her government may have deployed spyware against journalists and activists. This follows WhatsApp alerts received in January by some individuals indicating their phones had been hacked.

Meloni has also faced separate investigations for her role in repatriating a Libyan police chief, sought by the ICC for alleged human rights violations against migrants, after his arrest in Italy.

Activists, including Yambio, accuse Meloni of being complicit in the abuse of migrants in Libya and Tunisia through controversial deals to control the flow of migrants to Italy.

While the Italian government acknowledged being a client of Paragon, it denies using the technology against activists or journalists.

Paragon has reportedly suspended its contract with Italy because it failed to abide by its rules that forbid their technology from being used against journalists or other members of civil society, the Guardian reports.