
The report paints a bleak picture of state-sponsored surveillance and repression in Serbia. Technologies such as NoviSpy, Pegasus, and digital forensics tools like Cellebrite are used to facilitate these practices. These tools enable authorities to covertly intercept sensitive personal data, activate microphones and cameras on targeted devices, and monitor the activities of journalists and activists. Alarmingly, spyware installation frequently took place during police interviews, where individuals were compelled to leave their devices in custody without legal consent or due process.
Authorities employed Cellebrite technology to illicitly unlock and extract data from the devices of activists to install spyware and gather encrypted communications. This was done in complete disregard for international human rights standards and without legal warrants. The deterioration of the right to privacy weakened free expression in Serbia and profoundly affected activists and journalists who in many cases resorted to self-censorship.
Serbia witnessed several big protests and demonstrations in the last couple of years. Protestors met with heavy state repression and activists were digitally wiretapped. The government launched smear campaigns against NGOs and labeled them as foreign agents and threats to national security. Senior officials verbally attacked media organisations on several occasions which further isolated civil society.
The report also highlights significant gaps in the legal and institutional frameworks governing digital surveillance. Laws permitting the use of surveillance and spyware in specific contexts create opportunities for abuse. These technologies are exploited for political purposes to suppress dissent and infringe on individuals' rights to privacy, often without robust judicial oversight or safeguards against misuse.
The Use of spyware and digital forensic tools for monitoring and controlling civil society violates the right to privacy, freedom of expression, and peaceful assembly. Amnesty International called on Serbia to ban the use of invasive surveillance technologies, while developing more stringent legal protection and ensuring full accountability by state actors and those selling them for their part in perpetrating these violations.
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