Authorities in Jordan have reportedly employed Israeli-made digital forensics equipment to extract data from the phones of protesters who demonstrated against the military campaign in Gaza, a newly published investigation has revealed.
According to findings from the University of Toronto’s Citizen Lab and judicial documents reviewed by OCCRP, law enforcement agencies utilized a device manufactured by the Israeli firm Cellebrite DI Ltd. to unlock and access personal information from the mobile phones of activists and journalists. The tools were deployed under Jordan’s Cybercrimes Law, a statute that human rights groups say has been increasingly used to stifle dissent.
Amnesty International issued a warning in August 2024 that Jordanian authorities were misusing the legislation, targeting individuals who expressed pro-Palestinian views or called for peaceful demonstrations. The rights organization documented arrests linked to social media posts that criticized the government’s relationship with Israel or showed solidarity with Gaza.
The Citizen Lab’s analysis focused on phones confiscated from individuals detained during protests against Israel’s military operations in Gaza, which began following the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. A fragile ceasefire took effect in October 2025, but the conflict had already sparked widespread anger across Jordan, where a large Palestinian population resides.
Cellebrite declined to comment on the specific cases but emphasized its commitment to ethical practices through an internal oversight committee. “Adherence to the rule of law and privacy standards are fundamental elements of all our relationships,” a company spokesperson said.
Records accessed by OCCRP show that the extraction tool can capture the entire contents of a device, including passwords, application data, images, and documents. Court documents outline its use against activists who participated in protests opposing the scale of civilian casualties in Gaza. Demonstrators demanded the permanent closure of Israel’s embassy in Jordan and an end to all diplomatic and trade agreements.
While some demonstrations turned violent, with police reportedly clashing with crowds near the Israeli embassy in March 2024, authorities have also brought charges against hundreds of individuals solely for posting online messages, according to Amnesty.
One activist, speaking on condition of anonymity, described feeling powerless during questioning. “I felt wronged and violated, like they stole something from me,” he said. “These people have absolute authority to do whatever they want. Nothing can stop them.”
Another activist said the experience left him in a state of “pathological self-censorship,” and recounted being detained after posting critical remarks about Arab countries’ policies toward Israel and expressing support for Palestinian victims of the conflict.
It remains unclear when Jordan acquired the Cellebrite technology, though equipment bearing the company’s branding appeared in a photo shared by the royal court’s official account in April 2022, documenting a visit by Crown Prince Al Hussein to the public security directorate’s criminal investigation department.