European Spyware Victims Face Years of Legal Battles and Few Answers

Europe’s spyware victims face years of legal battles and few answers as governments shield surveillance behind national security, according to a long investigation cited by Greek journalist Thanasis Koukakis and IrpiMedia.

The piece outlines Predator, Pegasus and Graphite deployments across several European countries, with Greece’s court ruling on 26 February 2026 convicting four Intellexa executives linked to Predator for illegal access to computer systems, data protection violations and telecommunications privacy breaches. The sentences are suspended pending appeal, and investigators have yet to identify who ordered the surveillance.

The report notes that, outside Greece, criminal convictions have been rare and, in some cases, victims struggle to obtain basic information about the surveillance because authorities cite national security. Italian, Spanish and Hungarian cases are highlighted, including Pegasus targeting Greek journalists and opposition figures, with some instances leading to civil redress but little in the way of criminal accountability.

The article paints a broader pattern of impunity, with Europe’s safeguards criticised as inadequate. It cites EU-wide recommendations from the PEGA inquiry in 2023—including funds for victims’ legal costs and independent forensic support—but claims little has progressed three years later. Poland’s 2026 parliamentary inquiry is also cited, concluding that Pegasus was purchased unlawfully and used against political opponents, while investigations progress slowly.

The piece includes accounts from victims such as Polish opposition figure Krzysztof Brejza, Spanish Catalan activists, and Italian activists targeted by Paragon’s Graphite spyware, detailing how surveillance extended over years and, in many cases, failed to yield transparent remedies. Researchers from Amnesty International and Citizen Lab are quoted warning that spyware undermines democratic accountability and that there is a need to identify who ordered and carried out surveillance in real time.