Saudi Dissident Takes Spyware Battle to London Court

Yahya Assiri, a Saudi dissident in exile in the UK, is suing Saudi Arabia over alleged spyware attacks on his devices, claiming they used Israeli-made Pegasus software. London's High Court has allowed him to serve the lawsuit, marking another significant spyware lawsuit involving a Gulf state.

A Saudi dissident, Yahya Assiri, has been allowed to pursue a lawsuit against Saudi Arabia in London's High Court over claims of espionage via spyware.

Assiri, living in exile in the UK, alleges his devices were targeted with Pegasus, a tool developed by NSO Group and reportedly sold exclusively to national governments. The lawsuit accuses the kingdom of using such technology due to his dissident activities.

The court's decision to allow the lawsuit comes amidst a backdrop of international legal challenges involving spyware and Gulf state governments, with recent cases setting precedents for such claims in the UK judicial system.

(With inputs from agencies.)