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Spyware surveillance allegations in Serbia

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2026-09-06 08:24 UTC → 2026-09-06 22:48 UTC · added ~~removed~~

Forensic investigations by the SHARE Foundation, Citizen Lab, and Amnesty International have documented a surveillance campaign in Serbia targeting at least 14 individuals, including student activists, civil society members, opposition politicians, and journalists. Technical analysis confirmed the use of NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware via a zero-click iMessage exploit, alongside software similar to the domestic tool NoviSpy. These attacks reportedly occurred around the period of the March 2026 local elections. Opposition figures, such as MP Radomir Lazović, claim they were targeted while communicating with international officials. In response to these findings, the European Union stated that such illegal access to citizens' data would be ‘unacceptable’ if confirmed. Some European Parliament members have also urged the European Commission to freeze EU funding to Serbia and have called for the cancellation of European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen's planned visit to the country. Serbian government officials, including President Aleksandar Vučić and Parliament Speaker Ana Brnabić, have categorically denied the allegations, describing them as baseless or ‘trivial sensationalism.’ President Vučić and the Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) have dismissed the claims as ‘stupid and senseless.’ President Vučić further asserted that he himself was monitored during his time as an opposition leader but did not contest it through official channels. Constitutional Court President Vladan Petrov has also drawn criticism for suggesting that those with nothing to hide should not worry about surveillance, a stance condemned by political groups as a violation of constitutional privacy rights. In the wake of these developments, the Academic Plenum in Vojvodina issued a declaration supporting the Student List and calling for the protection of university autonomy and democratic institutions against political and media pressure.

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