A Barcelona court has ruled that the co-founders of Israeli spyware maker NSO Group, Omri Lavie and Shalev Hulio, along with former executive Yuval Somekh, can be indicted as part of an investigation into the alleged hacking of Catalan lawyer Andreu Van den Eynde.

The decision comes after Barcelona-based human rights nonprofit Iridia filed a criminal complaint and requested that the judge charge Lavie, Hulio, and Somekh, in addition to their companies. Initially, the lower court rejected the request, but Iridia appealed, and the higher court has now ruled in their favor.

This ruling sets a significant legal precedent in the fight against spyware espionage in Europe, according to Iridia spokesperson Lucía Foraster Garriga. "The individuals involved will now be held personally accountable in court," Garriga stated. The indictment of NSO Group's co-founders and executive marks a major milestone in the ongoing efforts to hold spyware companies accountable for their actions.

NSO Group has faced intense scrutiny in recent years over allegations that its spyware has been used to target human rights activists, journalists, and politicians around the world. The company has consistently denied any wrongdoing, claiming that its products are intended for use by law enforcement and intelligence agencies to combat crime and terrorism.

Despite these claims, there is mounting evidence that NSO Group's spyware has been used to target individuals who are not involved in criminal activity. The alleged hacking of Catalan lawyer Andreu Van den Eynde is just one example of this. Van den Eynde's phone was reportedly infected with NSO Group's Pegasus spyware, which is capable of extracting sensitive information and monitoring the user's activities.

The investigation into the hacking of Van den Eynde's phone is ongoing, and it remains to be seen what consequences the indictment of NSO Group's co-founders and executive will have. However, the ruling is a significant step forward in the fight against spyware espionage and sets an important legal precedent for future cases.

NSO Group spokesperson Gil Lanier declined to comment on the ruling, stating only that "we have no comment" in an email to TechCrunch. Lavie, Hulio, and Somekh also did not respond to requests for comment.

The outcome of this case will be closely watched by the tech industry and human rights organizations around the world. As the use of spyware continues to grow, it is essential that companies like NSO Group are held accountable for their actions and that individuals are protected from illegal surveillance.