27 December, 2020
The alleged campaign also disseminated manipulated financial documents claiming reporters were collecting bonus cash payments from Qatar’s leadership.
Oueiss claims she was a target because of her reporting on human rights violations carried out by Saudi and the UAE, according to the complaint she filed in the Miami federal court.
The lawsuit lists MbS and MbZ as defendants, as well as other officials and agents of those nations.
According to reports, Oueiss and her lawyers are seeking to bar the defendants from further alleged harassment, in addition to financial compensation to be determined at trial.
The lawsuit reportedly claims MbS and MbZ recruited a network of US citizens to help spread the manipulated photos.
“Ms. Oueiss brings this action against all Defendants – domestic and foreign – responsible for the unlawful hacking and dissemination of her personal information worldwide,” the court filing read, according to US news site The Hill.
“Each actor must be held responsible for their unlawful actions and Conspiracy against Ms. Oueiss, and this lawsuit marks the beginning of a journey toward justice for Ms. Oueiss,” the filing said.
In April hackers stole private images from Oueiss’ phone and shared them on Twitter in a misogynic smear campaign linked to Saudi Arabia.
The online harassment campaign that targeted Oueiss also took a jab at fellow Al Jazeera journalist Ola al-Fares, who was accused by Twitter trolls of “providing other services” to secure a successful career.
Critics of Saudi Arabia are frequently targeted in social media campaigns that harrass activists on Twitter.
The court filing said that the joint UAE-Saudi campaign was a “premeditated attack, intended to destroy her reputation, personal life, and career”.
