British court dismisses Bahrain’s bid to block activists’ spyware lawsuit
Summary
Britain’s Supreme Court decided that Bahrain cannot use state immunity to stop a lawsuit by two Bahraini activists living in the UK who say their computers were hacked with spyware. The court ruled that because the activists and their devices were in the UK when the spying happened, the case can continue in British courts.Key Facts
- Two Bahraini activists living in the UK sued Bahrain for using spyware on their computers in 2011.
- The spyware, called FinSpy, can track locations, record keystrokes, and monitor activities remotely.
- Bahrain tried to claim state immunity, saying the spying happened outside UK jurisdiction.
- Both the High Court and Court of Appeal in London rejected Bahrain’s immunity claim before the Supreme Court upheld that decision.
- The Supreme Court ruled 3-2 that the spying counted as an act done in the UK because the activists and their computers were in Britain.
- This ruling allows the lawsuit to move forward to trial in the UK.
- The case adds to similar global legal actions against states and companies accused of spying on critics using spyware.
- Human rights groups have accused Bahrain of spying on dissidents and journalists in the past.
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