A recently uncovered parliamentary document has revealed that Italy severed ties with the Israeli surveillance company Paragon after allegations emerged that its spyware was used to target critics, including journalists and migrant rescue activists.  

The scandal erupted earlier this year when Meta-owned WhatsApp reported that dozens of users in Italy had been surveilled using Paragon’s technology. Among the alleged targets were a journalist and members of a Mediterranean rescue charity known for opposing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s hardline migration policies.  

While Rome denied any illegal conduct, authorities confirmed in February that at least seven individuals had been hacked. The government later tasked Italy’s National Cybersecurity Agency with investigating the breach.  

According to the parliamentary security committee’s findings, Italian intelligence initially suspended its contract with Paragon before terminating it altogether following public backlash. The report disclosed that both domestic and foreign intelligence agencies had engaged with the firm in 2023 and 2024, deploying its tools against a small number of targets, allegedly with judicial approval.  

The foreign intelligence service reportedly used the spyware in operations targeting fugitives, terrorism, human trafficking, and organised crime. However, the lack of transparency surrounding its use has raised concerns over potential abuses, particularly given Italy’s increasingly restrictive stance on dissent, especially regarding migration and Palestine.  

The revelations have intensified scrutiny over Europe’s reliance on invasive surveillance technologies, often sourced from firms linked to Israel’s cybersecurity sector, a sector increasingly criticised for enabling repression.