A court ruling in London has denied Bahrain the right to claim state immunity in a lawsuit brought by two UK-based dissidents. Saeed Shehabi and Moosa Mohammed allege that Bahrain used spyware to infect their laptops with surveillance software in 2011. The software, named FinSpy, can record various activities on a device, including keystrokes, voice calls, emails, and browsing history.
The court’s decision highlights that a foreign state hacking a computer within the UK breaches the country’s sovereignty. Despite Bahrain’s denial of involvement, the dissidents believe the government or its agents were responsible for the hacking. This case marks a significant milestone in addressing hacking crimes committed by governments against dissidents on British soil.
The ruling is seen as a clear message to oppressive regimes that justice can prevail, especially for victims of cyber espionage. Sayed Ahmed Alwadaei, from the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy, emphasized the importance of holding abusive governments accountable through legal means.
Overall, this case represents a crucial step towards ensuring that governments like Bahrain cannot evade responsibility for their actions, even while conducting business in the UK. It brings hope to hacking victims and sets a precedent for future accountability in similar cases.