Greece to ban sale of spyware amid wiretapping scandal - Reuters

ATHENS, Nov 6 (Reuters) - Greece volition soon prohibition the merchantability of spyware, the authorities said connected Monday, aft a paper study that much than 30 people, including ministers and concern people, had been nether authorities surveillance via telephone malware.

A database of persons whose phones were allegedly infected with the Predator malware was published connected Sunday by left-wing Documento newspaper, which cited 2 sources who played a relation successful the surveillance connected behalf of the blimpish government.

Government spokesperson Giannis Oikonomou said the study that the authorities was down the spyware surveillance was "unfounded". He said the Greek authorities had not utilized oregon bought immoderate specified spyware and added that judicial authorities would analyse the latest report.

Greece, helium told reporters, volition soon taxable a measure to parliament banning the merchantability of spyware. "We won't let immoderate shadiness to stay connected issues that poison Greek society," helium said.

The Documento study was the latest improvement successful a wiretapping ungraded that has sparked governmental uproar successful Greece, arsenic the European Union takes a harder look astatine the usage and merchantability of spyware. A Greek authoritative began an enquiry earlier this year.

Most of the alleged targets, including a erstwhile blimpish premier curate and the existent overseas and concern ministers, declined to remark oregon told the paper that they were unaware of the matter.

In July, socialist absorption person Nikos Androulakis filed a ailment with apical tribunal prosecutors implicit an attempted bugging of his mobile telephone with surveillance software. The government, which faces elections successful 2023, said astatine the clip that the surveillance was lawful arsenic it had been approved by a prosecutor.

A Greek authoritative is besides investigating allegations by a writer that his smartphone was infected by surveillance bundle successful an cognition by the Greek quality service.

A peculiar European parliamentary committee (PEGA) that is investigating the usage of Pegasus and akin surveillance spyware concluded a sojourn to Greece and Cyprus past weej.

"This substance indispensable beryllium urgently and afloat clarified earlier adjacent year's elections," Sophia In 'T Veld, from the committee delegation, told reporters successful Greece.

Reporting by Renee Maltezou and George Georgiopoulos, editing by Mark Heinrich

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