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On February 11, a refugee advocate embroiled in an Italian political scandal surrounding the recent release of an alleged war criminal was reportedly targeted with sophisticated spyware, as per a notification from Apple received on his iPhone.

David Yambio, the leader of Refugees in Libya, disclosed receiving the alert on November 13 in a message shared with Reuters. The alert indicated his iPhone was subjected to a "mercenary spyware attack" aimed specifically at him due to his role or identity.

Yambio expressed strong disapproval of the surveillance, stating, "I know I'm not a criminal. I have never been a criminal. Why should I be spied on?"

Apple has been issuing alerts to users believed to be victims of mercenary spyware since 2021, as part of efforts to combat spying on Apple consumers.

The circumstances surrounding the alert received by Yambio remain unclear. Apple did not respond immediately to inquiries, and Yambio mentioned he would refrain from attributing blame for the hack until his device underwent forensic examination.

Yambio's revelation arises within the context of a controversy in Italy concerning the alleged use of Paragon spyware against opponents of Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. Reports suggest Paragon, a company that positioned itself as a more ethical option to NSO, severed ties with the Italian government amid accusations that the government exploited Paragon's technology to target its critics.

Paragon has not responded to numerous requests for comment on these allegations. The Italian government also did not reply promptly to inquiries pertaining to Yambio's situation, though officials broadly denied involvement in any hacking activities.

Yambio was among the individuals reportedly targeted by Libyan police officer Osama Elmasry Njeem, who Italy released despite facing serious allegations from the International Criminal Court regarding human rights violations.

Njeem was detained in Italy on January 19 based on an ICC warrant but was released two days later and repatriated to Libya on a government plane, purportedly due to specific reasons.

Critics accused Meloni's administration of freeing Njeem to maintain cooperation with Libyan security forces concerning migration control across the Mediterranean, rather than risk tension by apprehending such a prominent figure.

The release prompted significant criticism aimed at Meloni and her government, with allegations of betrayal and calls for accountability surfacing in Italy's parliament. Njeem has not publicly responded to the accusations against him.