Updated 10 June 2025: This press release incorrectly named Cancellato instead of Casarini in the following sentence “… it does not clarify the legal basis they are using to qualify Caccia, Casarini, and Yambio’s activities as threats to national security to prompt the activation of these provisions.” This has now been corrected.
On June 5, 2025, the Italian government confirmed it has used Paragon spyware to target civil society. The parliament’s intel oversight committee (COPASIR)’s long-awaited report on Paragon spyware use against journalists and activists in the country confirms the targeting of at least two members of civil society under the pretext of migration control. However, it does not explain the targeting of the other affected individuals in Italy, nor properly acknowledge the rights of the victims impacted by spyware use.
Against a backdrop of democratic backsliding and the criminalisation of migration support and solidarity, the report confirms that Italy’s intelligence services (AISE and AISI) used Graphite, spyware developed by Paragon Solutions, against Luca Casarini, the founder of NGO Mediterranea Saving Humans, and Giuseppe Caccia, both engaged in search-and-rescue efforts in the Mediterranean, as well as unspecified interception methods against David Yambio, spokesperson of Refugees in Libya. While the committee asserts this was legally authorised — citing anti-terrorism legislation and provisions justifying judicial authorisations for interception and targeted surveillance operations — it does not clarify the legal basis they are using to qualify Caccia, Casarini, and Yambio’s activities as threats to national security to prompt the activation of these provisions. Notably, the report indicates that Yambio was targeted in another instance that is “outside the competence of the committee.”
The Italian authorities’ invasive surveillance of civil society actors like Luca Casarini and Giuseppe Caccia is legally questionable and rings alarm bells regarding abuse of power. Existing laws must not be used as a carte blanche for unchecked surveillance against human rights defenders and humanitarian workers. Italy must provide the full context of their authorisation.Rand Hammoud, Surveillance Campaigns Lead at Access Now.
Beyond the three professed cases, journalist Francesco Cancellato, previously confirmed as a target of Paragon spyware by Whatsapp, has no conclusive answers — and therefore no recourse — to his targeting. Authorities claim to have found no logs indicating Italian security intelligence agencies’ involvement in any surveillance against the journalist.
If not Italy, then who? Paragon must immediately investigate and disclose which government was behind the targeting of Cancellato.Rand Hammoud, Surveillance Campaigns Lead at Access Now.
Importantly, Paragon Solutions claims to only sell to select governments.
While Italy and Paragon terminated their contract in response to the allegations, there is no substitute for transparency, remedy, or systemic reform.
People in Italy are experiencing a sharp deterioration in the protection of civic space and the rule of law, including attacks and restrictions on the right to protest, civil society organizations, and safeguards for journalists. Alarmingly, this is part of a broader trend across Europe, where governments are increasingly using national security narratives and the pretext of combatting migrant smuggling to justify digital surveillance and repression — such as the growing criminalisation of human rights defenders and the expansion of Europol surveillance powers.
Italy, as a European Union member state and Pall Mall Code of Practice for States signatory, must uphold its commitments to safeguard press freedom and civil society. With the European Media Freedom Act (EMFA) soon entering into force, Italian authorities have an obligation to provide protections that are fully compliant with EU law and international human rights standards.
To that end, Access Now calls for:
- Paragon Solutions to investigate and disclose which government targeted journalist Francesco Cancellato and ensure a meaningful remedy for all confirmed victims;
- The Italian government to release all internal documentation pertaining to the confirmed cases, fully implement EMFA protections for journalists, and end spyware use against civil society actors;
- Pall Mall Process states, including Italy, to translate voluntary principles into enforceable safeguards, with transparency, oversight, and victim notification.