● Covered by 2 sources · 3 reportsMedium impact2 negative1 neutral
Serbian Opposition Figures Targeted with Pegasus Spyware Ahead of Elections
Key points
- Vladan Đokić's phone infected with Pegasus spyware.
- Rade Bajić received an Apple threat notification.
- Incidents occurred before Serbian national elections.
- At least 15 individuals targeted with spyware since 2026.
- Vladan Đokić is rector of the University of Belgrade.
- Vladan Đokić is a supporter of Serbia's student protest movement.
- Citizen Lab confirmed the infection on October 19.
- The infection occurred six days before Serbia's October 25 snap parliamentary election.
- The infection used a zero-click exploit.
- The election was called in September after protests began in November 2024.
- A railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad in November 2024 killed 16 people.
- Citizen Lab is a research group at the University of Toronto.
- Citizen Lab analyzed forensic artifacts at Đokić's request.
- Citizen Lab worked with the Serbian digital-rights group SHARE Foundation.
- SHARE Foundation led the investigation of an earlier wave of Serbian cases.
- Aleksandar Vučić lost the prime ministerial election.
- Aleksandar Vučić served as prime minister and president since 2014.
- Cellebrite surveillance software was deployed to extract data or install spyware.
- Amnesty International researchers reported on Cellebrite deployment.
Spyware Targeting Confirmed
The Citizen Lab, a digital forensics research institute, confirmed that University of Belgrade Rector Vladan Đokić's phone was infected with Pegasus spyware this year. Đokić is a supporter of a student protest movement advocating for the removal of former Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić from government. A second suspected victim, prosecutor Rade Bajić, received an Apple threat notification in August, which is considered a strong indicator of commercial spyware targeting.
Political Context and Elections
These targeting incidents precede national elections scheduled for next week, where Aleksandar Vučić, who recently left the presidency due to term limits, is campaigning for prime minister. Vučić previously held the prime minister role from 2014-2017 and is widely expected to regain control of the country if reelected. The targeting of opposition figures occurs amidst this political landscape.
Pattern of Surveillance
Serbian authorities have reportedly used NSO Group's Pegasus spyware against regime opponents for some time. According to a press release from Serbia's SHARE Foundation, in collaboration with the Citizen Lab and Amnesty International, at least 15 individuals have been targeted with advanced spyware since 2026. This continued use against civil society members raises questions about NSO Group's claims regarding its client vetting processes.
Broader Repression Concerns
Student protests against corruption have been ongoing in Belgrade since November 2024. In recent months, other students and journalists have also been found to be targeted with spyware. Adrijana Ristić, a researcher at the SHARE Foundation, noted an increase in both physical and digital repression, including confidential communications leaks and attacks on journalists, indicating a broad scope of targeting beyond just spyware.
Updates
- Aleksandar Vučić lost the prime ministerial election.
- Aleksandar Vučić served as prime minister and president since 2014.
- Cellebrite surveillance software was deployed to extract data or install spyware.
- Amnesty International researchers reported on Cellebrite deployment.
- Vladan Đokić is rector of the University of Belgrade.
- Vladan Đokić is a supporter of Serbia's student protest movement.
- Citizen Lab confirmed the infection on October 19.
- The infection occurred six days before Serbia's October 25 snap parliamentary election.
- The infection used a zero-click exploit.
- The election was called in September after protests began in November 2024.
- A railway station canopy collapse in Novi Sad in November 2024 killed 16 people.
- Citizen Lab is a research group at the University of Toronto.
- Citizen Lab analyzed forensic artifacts at Đokić's request.
- Citizen Lab worked with the Serbian digital-rights group SHARE Foundation.
- SHARE Foundation led the investigation of an earlier wave of Serbian cases.
✨ This summary was generated by AI from the outlets' reporting listed below. It is not independently verified and may contain errors — check the original sources. How BrevFeed works →
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How outlets covered it
Serbian leader Aleksandar Vučić lost the prime ministerial election following reports of digital repression against opposition figures, journalists, and prosecutors. Digital forensic researchers found evidence of spyware targeting and infections on devices belonging to dozens of individuals, including the use of Pegasus and Cellebrite surveillance software. This repression, dating back to at least 2024, galvanized opposition and contributed to the election outcome.
The iPhone of Vladan Đokić, rector of the University of Belgrade and a supporter of student protests, was infected with NSO Group's Pegasus spyware in 2026, as confirmed by Citizen Lab. This discovery occurred days before Serbia's snap parliamentary election, highlighting potential surveillance targeting of prominent figures during politically sensitive periods.
The Citizen Lab confirmed that University of Belgrade Rector Vladan Đokić's phone was infected with Pegasus spyware, and prosecutor Rade Bajić also received an Apple threat notification, indicating targeting with commercial spyware. These incidents occurred ahead of national elections where former president Aleksandar Vučić is running for prime minister, raising concerns about the use of surveillance against political opponents.