Russia: CFWIJ demands investigation into the invasion of digital privacy of journalist Irina Pankratova

August 13, 2021, Moscow- An attempt was made to hack into the phone of Irina Pankratova, a journalist associated with the publication, The Bell. Irina’s employer organization confirmed the news on their Telegram channel, the attackers tried to access phone and text communication records of the journalist, however remained unsuccessful in doing so. The attacker is yet to be identified. Even though the motive behind the attack is not apparent, Irina is not the first person who has been targeted in this manner in the country, raising concern within civil society.

On August 11, irregular activity on Irina Pankatrova’s phone alerted her to a possible invasion of privacy. Further investigations revealed that someone had forged a notarized power of attorney on behalf of Pankratova - a document needed to access telephone records - and attempted to get a hold of her phone and message records for the past two years through Irina’s network provider, Megafon. However, according to The Bell’s report on the matter, the attempt remained unsuccessful due to the digital security protocol Irina follows. The journalist has since filed a complaint with the police on the grounds of fraud and illegal use of her personal data.

Earlier today Megafon also gave a statement to a local publication regarding what happened. According to the representative, an investigation is underway at the offices of the network provider and until all details are clarified, the operator who was contacted to provide Irina’s details will remain suspended from duty. Irina is only the latest in a list of notable people who have experienced a digital invasion of privacy. Within the last year journalists associated with Vosthnye Stories, the ex-coordinator of Open Russia, Tatyana Usmanova, as well as deputy of the St. Petersburg Legislative Assembly, Maxim Reznik, and his wife, have all been similarly targeted. 

The Coalition For Women In Journalism is extremely concerned about these anonymous attacks on the privacy of a journalist. These attacks are particularly worrying in light of the details that have become apparent with regards to the Pegasus spyware. Invasion of digital privacy is quickly becoming a problem. It is particularly dangerous, not only because of the sheer volume of data that is stored on an individual’s phone, but also because of the risk it entails for the social circle of the concerned person. Add to the fact that the attack on Irina was not an isolated incident but only the latest in a series, causes further concern regarding what the state is doing to protect the online data of its citizens. It is thus, of utmost importance that an urgent investigation is initiated into the issue to identify the criminal behind it, so he or she could be brought to justice.