Report: Serbian Police Using Israeli Tech to Spy on Activists

Facts

• According to an Amnesty International investigation, Serbian authorities are using forensic tools and spyware from Israeli company Cellebrite to conduct surveillance on journalists and activists during police interviews and detentions.^[1][2]
• The NoviSpy spyware, attributed to Serbia's Security Information Agency (BIA), can capture screenshots, access contact lists, and remotely activate device cameras and microphones once installed on Android phones.^[2][3]
• Forensic evidence reportedly showed authorities used Cellebrite products to unlock devices without consent and subsequently installed NoviSpy spyware during police custody — affecting at least four confirmed cases between February and November 2024.^[2][4][5]
• Serbian journalist Slaviša Milanov's phone was reportedly compromised during a traffic stop police detention in February, with analysis confirming both Cellebrite and NoviSpy deployment without his authorization.^[6][7]
• Amnesty also reported that Serbian authorities used Cellebrite to exploit a Qualcomm chip vulnerability in millions of Android devices. The issue, which was identified by Google researchers, was fixed in Qualcomm's October 2024 Security Bulletin.^[2]
• The alleged surveillance coincides with growing anti-government protests in Serbia, sparked by a November railway station accident that killed 15 people. Authorities called the report "nonsensical," with the BIA claiming it "works exclusively in accordance" with Serbian law.^[3][8]

Sources: ^[1]ABC News, ^[2]Amnesty International, ^[3]Associated Press, ^[4]Dnevni list Danas, ^[5]Barron's, ^[6]The Record, ^[7]The Guardian and ^[8]EuroNews.

Narratives

• Left narrative, as provided by Journal of Democracy. This report is no surprise given the ruling SNS Party's authoritarian tendencies. Elections have been rigged through media control, vote buying, and voter manipulation, with the recent parliamentary and municipal elections demonstrating extreme electoral engineering. This pattern of behavior indicates a deliberate strategy to suppress opposition and control the public narrative — hallmarks of an authoritarian regime.
• Right narrative, as provided by Hungarian Conservative and The European Conservative. Western opposition to Serbia has nothing to do with authoritarianism but rather Pres. Aleksandar Vučić's refusal to align with EU policies on Russia and migration. Rather than spend time antagonizing Moscow, Serbia has chosen to focus on protecting its border and opposing EU migration policies. Reports like these, whether they contain some truth or not, are likely another propaganda campaign aimed at forcing Serbia to bend the knee to Brussels.
• Cynical narrative, as provided by War on Want. The real culprit behind these incidents is the Israeli spyware industry, which is a threat to global security and civil liberties. Companies like NSO Group and Cellebrite, with roots in Israeli military intelligence, sell these tools to both democratic and authoritarian nations. This trade enables surveillance and repression worldwide, as these technologies are used for human rights abuses, blackmail, and silencing dissent across dozens of countries.