Serbia: Students, Activists and Opposition Figures Targeted with Advanced Spyware

byФОНДАЦИЈА БАЛКАНСКА МРЕЖА ЗА РАЗВОЈ НА ГРАЃАНСКОТО ОПШТЕСТВО СКОПЈЕ

At least 14 people in Serbia, including members of the student movement, activists and opposition representatives, have been targeted with advanced spyware since the beginning of 2026, representing the largest documented wave of such surveillance in the country. SHARE Foundation’s forensic analysis, independently confirmed by Citizen Lab and Amnesty International’s Security Lab, established that the iPhone of a student activist was infected with NSO Group’s Pegasus through a zero-click iMessage exploit, while a new version of NoviSpy was detected on Android phones, including one belonging to a student whose device had previously been confiscated during police detention. The targeting coincided with the March 2026 local elections and follows earlier findings linking NoviSpy infrastructure to Serbia’s Security Intelligence Agency, raising serious concerns about privacy, freedom of expression and association, political participation and electoral integrity. Twenty-nine Members of the European Parliament have called on the European Commission to take concrete action, including suspending IPA III and Growth Plan payments to Serbia pending an independent investigation, while the Commission has stated that unlawful surveillance of citizens and political opponents would be unacceptable if confirmed. Serbian authorities have denied state involvement. Read more here.

Source: SHARE Foundation / Civic Initiatives

This post was originally published on this site

Продолжи со читање

  • Journalists Decode EU Institutions, Acquis, and Enlargement Policies

    On 16–17 October 2026, the European Policy Institute (EPI) organized the first training module under the project “Decode the EU – Communicating EU policies together” in Strumica. The two-day workshop brought together 10 journalists from diverse media outlets, aiming to strengthen analytical, evidence-based reporting on North Macedonia’s EU accession journey.The…

  • MoU with the British Business Association in North Macedonia

    🤝 Strong economies are built on strong partnerships. Finance Think and the British Business Association in North Macedonia signed a Memorandum of Understanding yesterday, laying the foundation for closer cooperation on issues of importance to the business community, policymakers and society. The partnership brings together the British Business Association’s extensive business network and Finance Think’s […]
    The post MoU with the British Business Association in North Macedonia first appeared on Finance Think.
    The post MoU with the British Business Association in North Macedonia appeared first on Finance Think.

  • On pension matters, participation in Bloomberg

    🔴 What awaits future pensioners? 🟥 What kind of pension model do we need, and who will bear the burden of future reforms? 📌 Without measures, the deficit in the Pension and Disability Insurance Fund will continue to grow, and by the mid-2040s there will be fewer insured persons than pensioners, according to a study […]
    The post On pension matters, participation in Bloomberg first appeared on Finance Think.
    The post On pension matters, participation in Bloomberg appeared first on Finance Think.

  • Is Political Interference Addressed in the Frameworks of the Prosecutorial Councils in North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina?

    This policy brief examines the frameworks governing prosecutorial councils in North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina to assess whether their laws ensure adequate independence in line with European standards. The rule of law and an independent justice system are fundamental to the European Union’s enlargement process, particularly within the crucial Chapter 23. A cornerstone of […]
    The post Is Political Interference Addressed in the Frameworks of the Prosecutorial Councils in North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina? appeared first on EPI.

  • Raising the Bar on Integrity: Aligning North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina with the 2026 EU Anti-Corruption Directive

    This policy brief evaluates anti-corruption alignment and structural vulnerabilities in North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina against the EU’s Directive (EU) 2026/1021 on Combatting Corruption. Within the European Union’s “Fundamentals First” enlargement methodology, establishing an accountable administration, an independent judiciary, and robust anti-corruption enforcement is a primary condition for membership. Despite significant differences in their […]
    The post Raising the Bar on Integrity: Aligning North Macedonia and Bosnia and Herzegovina with the 2026 EU Anti-Corruption Directive appeared first on EPI.