Jordanian Authorities Deploy Israeli Cellebrite Tech to Surveil Pro-Gaza Activists
Jordanian security forces have been utilising Israeli-made digital forensic technology to extract sensitive data from the mobile phones of activists and protesters who have voiced support for Gaza and criticised Israel, according to a comprehensive new investigation by the University of Toronto's Citizen Lab.
High-Confidence Findings of Digital Surveillance
The multiyear investigation concluded with high confidence that Jordanian authorities have employed forensic extraction tools manufactured by the Israeli company Cellebrite against members of civil society. The targeted individuals included two political activists, a student organiser, and a human rights defender, whose devices were analysed between January 2024 and June 2025.
When authorities gain physical access to a mobile phone, Cellebrite's UFED Touch device can extract a vast array of personal data. This includes photos, videos, chat histories, saved files, passwords, location and wifi history, phone usage records, web browsing history, social media account information, and in some instances, data that users believed they had permanently deleted.
Potential Human Rights Treaty Violations
The Citizen Lab, which specialises in investigating digital threats against civil society organisations, stated that forensic analysis of devices previously seized by Jordanian authorities, alongside court records shared with researchers, indicates this surveillance "likely violated human rights treaties Jordan has ratified."
Under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), Jordan is legally obligated to adhere to strict limitations regarding the targeting of political dissidents and civil society members with surveillance technology. The report suggests these obligations may have been breached through the systematic use of Cellebrite tools.
Detailed Cases of Device Seizure and Extraction
Researchers analysed four mobile phones belonging to Jordanian civil society members who had been detained, arrested, or interrogated by authorities. All devices showed forensic evidence of Cellebrite extraction. The identities of targeted individuals were withheld due to legitimate fears of reprisals from security forces.
In one particularly concerning case detailed in the report, researchers examined the iPhone of a political activist whose device was confiscated following an interrogation by Jordan's General Intelligence Department. The phone remained in state custody for thirty-five days before being returned.
Another incident involved a student activist who refused to provide their passcode to officers. Security personnel reportedly unlocked the device using Apple's Face ID by holding it up to the activist's face. The individual was imprisoned the following day. Upon release, the activist discovered their passcode written on tape attached to the phone's back. Forensic analysis confirmed the device had been connected to Cellebrite equipment and a cybercrime unit in Amman during state custody.
Cellebrite's Response and Global Pattern of Use
In a statement to the Guardian, a Cellebrite spokesperson emphasised that their technology is forensic rather than spyware, designed to "access private data only in accordance with legal due process or with appropriate consent to aid investigations legally after an event has occurred."
The company stated they vet potential customers against internal human rights parameters and have historically ceased operations in jurisdictions where risks were deemed incompatible with corporate values. Cellebrite added they take allegations of misuse seriously, reviewing claims and investigating in accordance with their ethics policies when solid information is provided.
The Jordanian government did not respond to requests for comment regarding these allegations.
This incident follows a broader global pattern where Cellebrite products have reportedly been deployed against civil society members in various regions. Previous reports have indicated similar use in Myanmar, Botswana, Serbia, and Belarus, raising significant concerns about the export and application of such powerful digital forensic tools.
