Protests in Serbia

Serbia's largest protest movement in decades erupted in late 2024, triggered by the collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad's railway station that killed 16 people. What began as grief and demands for accountability grew into sustained, nationwide mobilization - with hundreds of thousands taking to the streets and students blockading universities across the country. The authorities' response combined attempts to discredit the movement with systematic repression: protesters were attacked, prosecuted, and surveilled, while those responsible for violence faced little or no accountability. CRTA documents the protests, the response, and the democratic stakes of what unfolded.

Student demands

October

Citizen Lab and the SHARE Foundation confirmed that the phone of University of Belgrade rector Vladan Đokić was infected with Pegasus spyware during 2026 through a zero-click exploit. Rade Bajić, a senior prosecutorial associate at the Public Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime who had worked on the Generalštab case, received an Apple warning in August that his device had likely been targeted; an infection has not been confirmed. According to Citizen Lab, at least 16 members of Serbian civil society are now known to have been targeted with mercenary spyware. No state body has responded.

In an interview published by BIRN on 13 October 2026, Momčilo Marjanović, a long-time SNS activist, alleged that the ruling party organised and paid groups of men who used force against students and citizens at protests. He says the groups were stationed in the "Ćacilend" camp in Belgrade during the 15 March 2025 protest, that police coordinated with the camp, and that cash came from the director of a Novi Sad public utility company. The director declined to answer BIRN's questions.

Since late 2023, several cases have been documented in which the phones of journalists, environmental activists, students and farmers were unlocked with Cellebrite tools and infected with NoviSpy spyware, mostly during interviews with the Security Intelligence Agency (BIA) or the police. Amnesty International published its report "A Digital Prison" in December 2024 and in March 2025 confirmed a Pegasus attempt against two BIRN journalists. The European Parliament condemned these practices in May 2025. On 2 September 2026, "Students in Blockade" said at least 14 people from the movement had been targeted.

Update

University of Belgrade rector infected with Pegasus, organized crime prosecution associate targeted

Citizen Lab confirmed a zero-click Pegasus infection on rector Vladan Đokić's phone, while Rade Bajić, who worked on the Generalštab case, received an Apple spyware warning.

Update

Former SNS activist describes paid groups deployed against protesters

In an interview with BIRN, a long-time member of the ruling party alleges that groups of men were paid in cash to use force at protests, with police coordination.

Update

Pegasus and NoviSpy against activists and journalists: a chronology of spyware surveillance

"Students in Blockade" announced that at least 14 people had been targeted by spyware, adding to a series of attacks on phones documented by Amnesty International.

Update

Spyware targeted at least 14 students, activists and opposition politicians in Serbia

Forensic analysis by SHARE Foundation, Citizen Lab and Amnesty International confirms Pegasus and a new NoviSpy version on devices of protest movement participants around the March local elections.

Update

12 branded: how a secret BIA recording became a coup case in Novi Sad

Twelve activists of PSG and STAV have faced prosecution since March 2025 on the basis of a recording their lawyers say was gathered unlawfully; the trial has been postponed again.

Update

MP Anna Oreg under covert BIA measures for more than a year

It emerged from an indictment motion against Novi Sad activists that the BIA had been monitoring and wiretapping the PSG vice-president since May 2024, under Belgrade Higher Court orders.

Update

Education inspection into University of Belgrade statute change tests the limits of university auton...

Following reports about a proposed change to the rector-election rule, the Ministry of Education announced an extraordinary inspection - raising the question of where oversight ends and university autonomy begins.

Update

Interpol refuses Serbia’s arrest warrants for exiled Novi Sad activists, citing political case

Interpol will not issue international warrants against six students and activists in exile, assessing the case as political - a decision that places Serbia's prosecution in a markedly different context.

Update

Military analyst charged over sound cannon claims, sought after leaving Serbia

Aleksandar Radić, who first claimed a sound cannon was used on protesters, is charged with endangering the constitutional order and leaking secrets; prosecutors want him detained and sought internationally.

CRTA.Plus is part of CRTA’s work to document developments related to democracy, the rule of law, and accountability in Serbia.

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Protests in Serbia

Citizen Lab confirmed Pegasus spyware on rector Vladan Đokić’s phone, while organized crime prosecution associate Rade Bajić was also targeted.

A former SNS activist tells BIRN that paid groups of men were deployed against protesters, with police coordination.

Journalists, activists, students and farmers in Serbia have for years been targeted with NoviSpy and Pegasus spyware.

University of Belgrade rector infected with Pegasus, organized crime prosecution associate targeted

Former SNS activist describes paid groups deployed against protesters

Pegasus and NoviSpy against activists and journalists: a chronology of spyware surveillance

Spyware targeted at least 14 students, activists and opposition politicians in Serbia

12 branded: how a secret BIA recording became a coup case in Novi Sad

MP Anna Oreg under covert BIA measures for more than a year

Education inspection into University of Belgrade statute change tests the limits of university auton...

Interpol refuses Serbia’s arrest warrants for exiled Novi Sad activists, citing political case

Military analyst charged over sound cannon claims, sought after leaving Serbia