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UK Supreme Court Denies Bahrain State Immunity in Spyware Case

UK Supreme Court Denies Bahrain State Immunity in Spyware Case

First seen 27 Jul 2026, 16:09 UTC • •
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ThreatCluster AI
ThreatCluster •July 28, 2026 at 15:18 UTC
  • •The UK Supreme Court ruled Bahrain cannot claim state immunity in a spyware lawsuit.
  • •Dissidents Saeed Shehabi and Moosa Mohammed allege their computers were hacked with FinSpy in 2011.
  • •The ruling allows for potential accountability of foreign states for cyber actions conducted from abroad.

The UK Supreme Court ruled that Bahrain cannot claim state immunity against a lawsuit by two dissidents, Saeed Shehabi and Moosa Mohammed, who allege their computers were hacked with FinSpy spyware in 2011. The court's decision, made by a 3-2 majority, allows the case to proceed, asserting that the alleged surveillance occurred in the UK, thus falling under the personal injury exception to state immunity. The plaintiffs claim to have suffered psychiatric harm after discovering the hacking in 2014. Bahrain has denied the allegations and sought immunity based on the argument that the surveillance was conducted from abroad. This ruling could set a precedent for future cases against foreign states in the UK. The case is expected to return to the High Court for further proceedings.

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Timeline

2011-09-01
Alleged spyware infection began
Saeed Shehabi and Moosa Mohammed claim their computers were infected with FinSpy spyware, allowing surveillance by Bahraini agents.
Leighday
2014-08-01
Discovery of hacking
The plaintiffs learned about the spyware infection through disclosures by WikiLeaks and Bahrain Watch, leading to their lawsuit.
Computerweekly
2020-01-01
Lawsuit filed
Shehabi and Mohammed filed their lawsuit in London's High Court seeking damages for psychiatric harm due to the alleged hacking.
Aol
2023-01-01
High Court ruling against Bahrain
The High Court ruled that Bahrain's claim of state immunity was invalid, allowing the case to proceed.
Iclg
2024-10-01
Court of Appeal upholds High Court decision
The Court of Appeal confirmed the High Court's ruling, rejecting Bahrain's appeal on state immunity.
Solicitorsjournal
2026-07-27
Supreme Court ruling
The UK Supreme Court ruled by a 3-2 majority that Bahrain cannot claim state immunity, allowing the lawsuit to proceed.
Globalbankingandfinance

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