Morocco can’t sue French press for reports on Pegasus spyware use claims: court

Morocco will not be able to sue French media outlets for defamation after reports alleging that Rabat used Pegasus spyware on political opponents, a Paris appeal court said on Wednesday.

Morocco wanted to sue outlets including Le Monde, Radio France, France Media Monde, Mediapart, and L'Humanité for reporting on its use of the spyware made by the Israeli NSO Group.

It also sought to sue human rights organisation Amnesty and media consortium Forbidden Stories, who worked together to break the story of how governments worldwide used Israeli-made spyware to target journalists, opponents and rivals.

But the appeal court ruled in favour of earlier verdicts, saying that French law did not allow for a state to file for defamation.

Since the Pegasus investigations were published in the summer of 2021, Morocco has strenuously denied that it used the spyware on Moroccan opponents or on French politicians.

French media outlets had reported that the mobile phones of French President Emmanuel Macron and 15 members of the French government were likely among the targets of an unidentified Moroccan security service. 

Ties between France and Morocco have been somewhat sour since the investigations were published, with communication between Macron and Morocco’s King Mohammed VI reportedly stopping.

The Moroccan king too was reportedly a target of the spyware.

Olivier Baratelli, a lawyer for Morocco, said another appeal would be filed — this time with the Court of Cassation, who will have the final say on the case.

Morocco also initiated proceedings similar proceedings against media outlets in Spain and Germany over what it has called "false and baseless allegations".