Full Breakdown
Pegasus Spyware Infection of Belgrade University Rector Amid Serbian Student Protests
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
Digital-rights researchers from the Citizen Lab, working with Serbia’s SHARE Foundation, said they could confirm with “high confidence” that Vladan Djokic, rector of the University of Belgrade, had his smartphone infected with Pegasus spyware in 2026. The analysis follows earlier reports that, in September, at least 14 activists and students—including the rector—had their phones compromised with the same Israeli-made tool. An additional investigation is examining whether the phone of associate prosecutor Rade Bajic, who received an Apple threat notification in August, was also hacked.
Background
The spyware revelations come as Serbia heads toward a weekend election that pits the long-standing Serbian Progressive Party, led by President Aleksandar Vucic, against a growing student movement. The protests began after a railway-station canopy collapse in Novi Sad in November 2024, which killed 16 people and sparked accusations of graft-related negligence. Djokic has publicly supported the students and resisted government pressure to end faculty blockades, while police raided his office in March. Bajic was removed from his post after raising concerns about alleged corruption tied to a luxury-complex project linked to Jared Kushner.
Official Statements & Responses
Serbian authorities have declined to comment on the specific infection and have previously denied involvement in similar spyware attacks reported in 2024. NSO Group, the maker of Pegasus, maintains that its technology is sold only to government agencies for combating serious crime and terrorism. The U.S. Commerce Department placed NSO Group on its trade blacklist in 2021, citing evidence of misuse against journalists, activists and officials.
Criticism & Opposition
Student activists allege that security forces are monitoring their meetings and planning detentions ahead of a major rally, a claim police have not addressed. Rights groups argue that the lack of accountability for such surveillance threatens broader civil-society freedoms in Serbia.