Malta has announced it will strip an Israeli ex-intelligence officer and current CEO of the spyware firm Intellexa of his Maltese citizenship after he was sanctioned by the United States.

Tal Jonathan Dilian, who holds Maltese citizenship, his partner, Sara Aleksandra Fayssal Hamou, and five associated companies were sanctioned by the US Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) this week.

The US said they were being sanctioned for their role in developing, operating, and distributing commercial spyware technology used to target Americans, including U.S. government officials, journalists, and policy experts.

“The proliferation of commercial spyware poses distinct and growing security risks to the United States and has been misused by foreign actors to enable human rights abuses and the targeting of dissidents around the world for repression and reprisal,” OFAC said.

“Today’s actions represent a tangible step forward in discouraging the misuse of commercial surveillance tools, which increasingly present a security risk to the United States and our citizens.”

In a brief announcement, the Maltese Home Affairs Ministry said that, following OFAC’s statement, the Maltese government has “initiated the process of deprivation of Maltese citizenship of a person that appeared on the sanctions as published by the United States Office of Foreign Assets Control involving a Maltese legal and natural person.”

“In his responsibility for matters relating to Maltese citizenship, the deprivation process is being initiated by the Minister for Home Affairs, Security and Employment,” the statement read.

“This is being done in accordance with the Maltese Citizenship Act, Cap. 188 of the Laws of Malta and the respective Subsidiary Legislation, as these provide that the responsible minister may deprive persons who have been registered or naturalised with Maltese citizenship in those circumstances established by the same legal provisions.”

Cover photo: Left: Tal Jonathan Dilian, Right: Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri