London-based satirist hails ‘amazing’ ruling that found Gulf state targeted and attacked him for his criticism
A London-based Saudi dissident who a judge decided should receive more than £3m in damages from the kingdom for assault and the hacking of his phone has insisted that it must pay up or face enforcement action.
Mr Justice Saini ruled that the Saudi government infected the phone of Ghanem al-Masarir with Pegasus spyware and, while surveillance was continuing, in 2018, its agents attacked him outside Harrods in central London.
It was a landmark judgment, holding to account a regime that has faced numerous allegations of human rights abuses but has consistently managed to avoid legal responsibility for abuses.
However, with the Saudi government having long refused to participate in the case after failing to have it thrown out on the grounds of “state immunity”, the big question is whether it will comply with the order to pay al-Masarir damages.
