LONDON, Nov. 20 (UPI) -- American and Israeli companies are selling sophisticated surveillance equipment to some of the most despotic nations in the world, according to a report by a British watchdog organization.
Nations like Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and other Central Asian countries with widespread human rights abuses are using the technology to monitor the communications of thousands of ordinary citizens, and they couldn't do so without the products of the technology companies, says the report by Privacy International.
"This is exactly the kind of nightmare scenario that becomes inevitable when you have an unaccountable industry operating under the radar," said report co-author Edin Omanovic.
The report named Nice Systems in Israel, Verint Systems in New York and Netronome in California.
Nice was the only firm to immediately respond, noting that it only does business with nations with which Israel "allows trade relations."
Privacy International managed to collect, through confidential sources, extremely detailed information about Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan's surveillance systems and facilities, where government authorities can read emails, listen to phone calls and track website visits.
Verint and Nice outfit and maintain some of the most sophisticated surveillance centers, according to the report. Netronome supplies technology that can "de-encrypt" communications so that authorities can track citizens conversations.
