Skip to main contentSkip to navigation Close dialogue1/2 Next image Previous image Toggle captionSkip to navigation Ghanem al-Masarir has suffered from severe depression since he was attacked in central London seven years ago. Photograph: John Lubbock View image in fullscreen Ghanem al-Masarir has suffered from severe depression since he was attacked in central London seven years ago. Photograph: John Lubbock Saudi dissident awarded £3m damages threatens enforcement action if he is not paidLondon-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…
Published: January 30, 2026 5:58 pm
Source: The Guardian — Read original