Reporting restrictions on Pegasus case lifted as Minister of the Presidency called to testify
Judge has already taken a statement from the former CNI director and, for the moment, has not asked for documents to be declassified
Spanish High Court judge José Luis Calama has agreed to lift reporting restrictions on the case of alleged phone hacking using Pegasus spyware against Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, Minister of the Interior Fernando Grande-Marlaska, and Minister of Defence Margarita Robles. In addition, the magistrate summoned Minister of the Presidency Félix Bolaños as a witness on July 5 at 9 am. The judge wants to take a statement from Bolaños as the head of the Security Department of La Moncloa. Calama opened this investigation following a complaint from the State Attorney's Office.
Calama also agreed to add to the rogatory commission sent to Israel so that a judicial commission headed by himself could travel to that country to take a witness statement from the CEO of NSO, the company that markets Pegasus spyware. Calama has already addressed a first rogatory commission to this country so that the company could inform about different aspects of this software tool.
In the framework of this investigation and under reporting restrictions, Calama already took a witness statement from the former director of the Spanish National Intelligence Centre (CNI), Paz Esteban, and from the CNI official in charge of preparing reports on this matter. The judge agreed to lift reporting restrictions, but says he may bring them back if the proceedings require them.
The Generalitat had tried to take part in the case, but Calama has denied its request several times (most recently on June 1) because he considers that no administrative bodies should be present in the process. The investigation is looking into spying against Spanish ministers and Prime Minister, but is not investigating Catalangate.
