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Italian Lawmakers Demand Clarity on Alleged Journalist Spying with U.S.-Made Spyware

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Italian lawmakers have officially pressed the government for answers over whether it spied on journalists, possibly using surveillance software from U.S.-based spyware company Paragon, escalating a political scandal that has dogged Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s administration for months.

Lawmakers Seek Accountability

The COPASIR (Parliamentary Committee for the Security of the Republic) has submitted a formal request to Cabinet Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano, a senior Meloni aide responsible for intelligence oversight, to clarify whether journalists were targeted with spyware. A source familiar with the matter disclosed this development on Friday.

Mantovano has not responded publicly, and the Meloni government continues to deny any illegal surveillance activities against journalists.

The Spyware Controversy

The scandal centers on Paragon’s spyware, which was reported by Meta in January to have targeted approximately 90 WhatsApp users, including Italians. Last month, Reuters reported that prosecutors were investigating whether journalists including Ciro Pellegrino, Francesco Cancellato (Fanpage), and Roberto D’Agostino (Dagospia) had been spied on. Dutch political commentator Eva Vlaardingerbroek was also reportedly affected.

COPASIR’s June report acknowledged that Italy’s intelligence agencies had contracts with Paragon and had used its tools against a limited number of targets, including members of a migrant sea rescue NGO. These operations were said to have judicial approval.

However, the committee found no evidence that Paragon spyware was used on Cancellato, contradicting the journalist’s public statements. The report made no reference to the other journalists, leaving the scope of surveillance unclear.

Conflicting Accounts and Contract Termination

Amid the public uproar and mounting political pressure, both Paragon and Italian authorities confirmed in June that their spyware contracts had been terminated. However, each party presented a different account:

  • Paragon claimed it offered the Italian government a method to verify spyware usage against Cancellato, and ended the contract when the offer was refused.

  • COPASIR countered that Italy independently ended the deal and disputed Paragon’s narrative.

Opposition Demands Transparency

Opposition lawmakers accuse the Meloni administration of using state surveillance tools to intimidate dissenters, especially critical journalists and NGOs. While the government maintains that any surveillance was conducted lawfully and within judicial boundaries, pressure is mounting for full transparency over the extent and targets of Paragon spyware deployment.

The episode has sparked widespread concerns over press freedom, abuse of state surveillance, and civil liberties under Meloni’s right-wing government.

Second Italian Journalist Targeted with Paragon Spyware, Citizen Lab Reports

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Citizen Lab, an internet watchdog group, has revealed that a second Italian journalist was targeted by Paragon spyware, escalating concerns over a surveillance scandal involving the Italian government and the U.S.-owned spyware company. The new report disclosed that Ciro Pellegrino, an investigative journalist at Fanpage, had his iPhone infected with Paragon’s sophisticated spyware.

Pellegrino joins Francesco Cancellato, Fanpage’s editor-in-chief, who earlier confirmed he was targeted by Paragon technology following WhatsApp alerts in January. Fanpage has been critical of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government, notably exposing links between the ruling party’s youth wing and neo-Nazi activities, which has intensified controversy after allegations of surveillance on its journalists surfaced.

The Italian government and Paragon recently announced an end to their collaboration but gave conflicting accounts over who initiated the split. Paragon stated it had offered Italian officials tools to verify if its spyware was used against Cancellato, but these offers were reportedly declined. Italian authorities have not commented on the Citizen Lab findings.

Pellegrino described the spyware discovery as “horrible,” emphasizing that his phone holds deeply personal and professional data, including journalistic sources. This revelation casts doubt on the thoroughness of a recent Italian parliamentary investigation, which confirmed Paragon’s spyware use by Italian intelligence against migrant rescue activists but found no evidence of targeting Fanpage journalists.

Human rights advocate Natalia Krapiva of Access Now called for a reevaluation of the investigation, stating the new findings seriously question its adequacy. Opposition Democratic Party spokesperson Sandro Ruotolo demanded the parliamentary panel reopen its probe, seeking answers on why two journalists were surveilled.

Citizen Lab also disclosed that an unnamed European journalist was targeted with Paragon spyware but provided no further details. The parliamentary panel has reserved the right for further investigations but has not commented on the recent report.

Italy Ends Spyware Contracts with Israeli Firm Paragon Amid Controversy

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Italy and Israeli spyware maker Paragon have terminated their contracts following allegations that the Italian government used Paragon’s technology to hack phones of government critics, according to a parliamentary report released Monday and statements from both parties.

The fallout stems from a report by Italy’s parliamentary security committee (COPASIR) and earlier revelations from Meta’s WhatsApp, which disclosed that Paragon spyware targeted multiple users including an investigative journalist and members of Mediterranea, a migrant rescue charity critical of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

The government acknowledged that seven Italian phone users had been targeted but denied involvement in illicit surveillance and said it had tasked the National Cybersecurity Agency to investigate. COPASIR’s report states that Italian intelligence services initially suspended and later ended their contracts with Paragon after the media backlash, though the exact timing remains unclear.

Contradictory statements have fueled political criticism, with opposition parties demanding clarity. Paragon claims it ceased providing spyware after allegations against journalist Francesco Cancellato became public, but said the government declined joint investigation offers to verify whether Cancellato was spied on. The committee found no evidence Cancellato was surveilled with Paragon’s tools.

COPASIR also detailed that Italy’s domestic and foreign intelligence agencies used the spyware sparingly, with prosecutor approval, for law enforcement purposes including counter-terrorism, fugitive searches, and anti-smuggling. It stated that spying on Mediterranea activists related to their activities potentially connected to irregular immigration, with authorization from the government.

Undersecretary Alfredo Mantovano, responsible for intelligence oversight, authorized the spyware use on Mediterranea activists Luca Casarini and Beppe Caccia in September 2024. Meanwhile, six Mediterranea members, including Casarini and Caccia, face trial accused of aiding illegal immigration, charges they deny.

The scandal has drawn calls for parliamentary inquiry and public scrutiny over surveillance ethics and government transparency.