Israel's Cognyte won tender to sell intercept spyware to Myanmar before coup, say documents

A sign of the Israeli company Cognyte, is seen on their headquarters building in Herzliya near Tel Aviv, Israel January 13, 2023. - Reuters

YANGON/SINGAPORE, Jan 15 (Reuters): Israel's Cognyte Software Ltd won a tender to sell intercept spyware to a Myanmar state-backed telecommunications firm a month before the Asian nation's February 2021 military coup, according to documents reviewed by Reuters.

The deal was made even though Israel has claimed it stopped defence technology transfers to Myanmar following a 2017 ruling by Israel's Supreme Court, according to a legal complaint recently filed with Israel's attorney general and disclosed on Sunday.