Russian Authorities Used Cellebrite to Hack Activist’s Phone Despite Cancelled Contracts

A new investigation by Citizen Lab revealed that Russian authorities used Cellebrite technology to hack into the devices of political activist Andrey Picocarov after removing him from a flight and detaining him in a politically motivated prosecution in St Petersburg in May 2021.

The investigation details that the Russian authorities were still able to use Cellebrite’s hardware although their contracts with the company were officially cancelled. This raises fundamental questions about whether contract cut‑offs adequately manage the risks and ensure accountability for intrusive surveillance tools if they continue operating uninterrupted after a contract cancellations.

Read the full investigation here.