Researchers say two more Serbian opposition figures were targeted with spyware ahead of Serbia’s October 25 elections, including one phone that Citizen Lab confirmed was infected with NSO Group’s Pegasus. The newly reported targets are University of Belgrade rector Vladan Đokić and prosecutor Rade Bajić, who received an Apple commercial-spyware threat notification; Serbian civil-society groups say at least 15 people in Serbia have been targeted with advanced spyware in 2026.
Why it matters: This is a high-impact surveillance and civil-liberties story because it involves confirmed mercenary spyware use against political opponents and civil society during an election period. People at elevated risk in Serbia should treat Apple threat alerts seriously, seek expert device checks, and move sensitive communications to safer channels.
2026.10.19
100% relevant
This article establishes a specific, ongoing election-period spyware-targeting story in Serbia with new named victims, one confirmed Pegasus infection, and broader targeting counts from Citizen Lab and Serbian civil-society researchers.
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