UN experts call for investigation into hacking of Bezos' phone by Saudi

The United Nations experts have called for immediate investigations in Saudi Arabia’s possible involvement in hacking Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos’ phone and questioned the circumstances and timing of the incident. Agnes Callamard, UN Special Rapporteur on summary executions and extrajudicial killings, and David Kaye, UN Special Rapporteur on freedom of expression, said in a joint statement that the information suggests the possible involvement of the Crown Prince in surveillance of Bezos.

The experts opined that the allegations reinforce the reports of targeted surveillance of ‘perceived opponents’. “These allegations are relevant as well to ongoing evaluation of claims about the Crown Prince's involvement in the 2018 murder of Saudi and Washington Post journalist, Jamal Khashoggi,” the duo said.

Read: Jeff Bezos’ Phone Hack Plan Took Off During Saudi Crown Prince's US Tour In 2018

Last year, Saudi Arabia court convicted eight people in the killing of The Washington Post columnist but exonerated inner circle of MBS. Even then, Callamard had lashed out at Saudi Arabia and said that the hitmen were sentenced to death while the masterminds were barely touched by the investigation and the trial. She called it obstruction of justice and a violation of the Minnesota Protocol for the investigation of arbitrary killings.

In June 2019, Callamard published a report saying Jamal Khashoggi was the victim of a premeditated extrajudicial execution, for which the State of Saudi Arabia was responsible. The report said that the UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC), the Security Council or the UN Secretary-General should demand a follow-up criminal investigation into Khashoggi’s killing.

Read: Saudi Crown Prince Messaged Jeff Bezos 'it's Not True' On Alleged Hack

Interconnected threads

The alleged involvement of Saudi Crown Prince and his inner circle in the hacking of The Washington Post owner’s phone might open a can of worms as the incident was followed by the revelation of Bezos’ alleged extramarital affairs and murder of Jamal Khashoggi, a Post’s columnist. The National Enquirer, an American tabloid newspaper, published a story about Amazon CEO’s extramarital affair with Lauren Sanchez, along with intimate text messages and pictures of the couple, months after the data breach.

Read: Jeff Bezos Remembers Khashoggi Hours After Saudi Hacking Report

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