Huawei accused of assisting with state surveillance

Huawei employees stationed in Uganda and Zambia have helped the Ugandan and Zambian Governments spy on their political opponents, which has led to the opponents' arrests in both countries, the Wall Street Journal reports. In Kampala, Uganda, Huawei employees reportedly helped Uganda's cyber-surveillance unit break into the WhatsApp group belonging to Bobi Wine, a key opponent of President Yoweri Museveni. The report notes that Huawei employees used spyware made by an Israeli company to break into the WhatsApp group, which led to Wine's arrest, as well as the arrest of dozens of his supporters. In Zambia, Huawei technicians reportedly helped the government access the phones and Facebook pages belonging to bloggers who oppose Zambian President Edgar Lungu's regime. This allowed the Zambian cyber-surveillance unit to locate the bloggers' locations, which led to their arrest.

Full report in The Wall Street Journal (subscription needed)