Serbian Student Activists and Opposition Members Targeted with Spyware

At least 14 Serbian activists and opposition politicians were targeted with mercenary spyware, according to the Belgrade based SHARE Foundation. The victims include organizers of a student movement that emerged following a fatal railway tragedy in Novi Sad in November 2024. The movement has since evolved into a broader anti corruption and pro democracy campaign. The SHARE Foundation states that the targeting coincided with local elections on March 29, which were viewed as a test of the opposition's organizational capabilities.

Apple notified users in 110 countries, including some in Serbia, that they may have been targets of state sponsored attacks. Amnesty International and the Canadian Citizen Lab confirmed that the Israeli developed Pegasus spyware was found on at least one device. Other devices were targeted with malware similar to NoviSpy. One instance involved a zero click version of Pegasus, which requires no user interaction to deploy. Another case involved a student whose phone was previously seized by police during questioning.

Legal experts and rights groups state that using such software without judicial authorization is a crime under Serbian law. U.S. Representative Joe Wilson described the situation as totalitarian technology being weaponized against a free people. Neither the Serbian government nor the NSO Group responded to requests for comment. NSO Group has previously stated that it only sells its software to governments.

Outlets with a center lean highlighted the broader regional context, noting similar tactics used by the Orbán government in Hungary and the influence of the Russian government. Outlets with a center left lean focused on the violation of individual privacy rights and the specific impact on the pro democracy movement ahead of the 2026 election cycles.