Serbian Leader Concedes Election After Reports of Spyware Used Against Critics

Serbian leader Aleksandar Vučić admitted defeat on Sunday in his race for prime minister. The loss follows a series of reported incidents of digital repression that galvanised the opposition. Vučić has served as prime minister and then president since 2014. Over the past two years, digital forensic researchers have found evidence strongly suggesting spyware targeting or infections on devices belonging to dozens of opposition leaders, protesters, prosecutors and journalists.

Amnesty International researchers have said authorities repeatedly used Cellebrite software to secretly extract data from opponents' devices during bogus interrogations and arrests, and in some cases to install spyware. Last week, Citizen Lab alleged that the device of University of Belgrade Rector Vladan Đokić was infected earlier this year with Pegasus, a powerful zero-click spyware. Serbia's SHARE Foundation said prosecutor Rade Bajić was also targeted with Pegasus. He received multiple Apple spyware threat notifications.

The SHARE Foundation says experts have found at least 15 people targeted with mercenary spyware in Serbia so far this year. Researcher Andrijana Ristić said the targeting began with civil society, journalists and activists, then moved to protesters and a new election cycle. She said the recent spike in confirmed cases is likely because the stakes are so high for the government.