Human Rights Watch says Bulgaria approved exports of Circles surveillance products to multiple governments with records of repression, potentially enabling interception of calls, messages, internet activity, and real-time phone location tracking. The report cites Bulgarian export licensing records from 2018 through 2023 showing sales to agencies in El Salvador, the United Arab Emirates, Serbia, Azerbaijan, Guatemala, Bahrain, Jordan, Malaysia, Morocco, and Panama. Products named include Pixcell, Landmark, and a voice interception tool using the SS7 telecom signaling protocol.
Why it matters: This matters because it shows how commercial spyware and telecom surveillance tools can still reach governments that may use them against journalists, activists, and political opponents despite European Union export rules. It raises immediate policy and human-rights concerns for telecom users, civil society, and regulators, and points to the need for closer scrutiny of surveillance exports and their end users.
2026.06.18
100% relevant
This article establishes a distinct story by tying newly obtained Bulgarian export-license records to specific Circles surveillance product sales and destination governments, rather than updating an existing tracked event.
← Back to all stories