Amnesty International has recently reported that Serbian authorities have employed the controversial Pegasus spyware against two investigative journalists affiliated with the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network (BIRN). Both journalists targeted in February 2025 focus on uncovering state-sponsored corruption. The report underscored that the journalists received a Viber message from an unknown number, containing a link which the Amnesty Security Lab identified as an attempt to install the spyware on their devices.
The targeted journalists were investigating issues related to foreign investments and corruption linked to the state, topics that necessitate engagement with sources close to government officials. This incident marks the third occurrence in two years, where Amnesty International discovered evidence suggesting the Serbian government’s use of such invasive technologies against journalists. Rodoljub Sabic, Serbia’s former privacy commissioner, has expressed concern that such activities are incompatible with the rule of law and seriously threaten media freedom by potentially compromising the confidentiality of journalistic sources. Detailed insights into the events in Serbia can be found on JURIST’s report.
While the right to privacy is enshrined in international legal frameworks such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and European Human Rights Law, several EU countries, including Hungary and Poland, have also faced accusations of using Pegasus to surveil journalists and activists. These actions have prompted a coalition of civil organizations to call for EU intervention to curb the growing threat of spyware to fundamental rights, as discussed in a JURIST article.
Created by the NSO Group, Pegasus is designed to be stealthily and remotely installed on mobile phones, offering capabilities such as accessing text messages, passwords, the microphone, and camera, as well as location tracking. Despite allegations of misuse, the NSO Group claims its spyware is solely used for terrorism and crime investigations, according to a New York Times report.