**Serbian Authorities Accused of Spying on Journalists and Opposition Activists**
The Serbian secret service and police have been using spyware to infect mobile phones, Amnesty International reported Monday. The watchdog group claims that the spy software was used to unlock phones, capture screenshots, and copy contact lists.
According to Amnesty’s report, titled “A Digital Prison: Surveillance and the Suppression of Civil Society in Serbia,” the Serbian authorities used spyware on devices while their owners were detained or interviewed by police. This practice is considered a form of digital repression.
Serbia’s police responded to the allegations, saying that the Amnesty report was “absolutely incorrect.” However, they also claimed that the forensic tool used was common among other police forces around the world.
The BIA (Security Information Agency) said on its website that it works in accordance with the laws of Serbia and cannot comment on the “nonsensical allegations” made by Amnesty.
**Protests Against Autocratic Rule**
President Aleksandar Vucic is facing challenges to his increasingly autocratic rule. Protesters have been demanding accountability for the recent collapse of a concrete canopy at a railway station, which killed 15 people. The protests are led by university students and opposition activists, who believe that rampant corruption and nepotism among state officials led to sloppy work on the building reconstruction.
Vucic has accused Western intelligence services, NGO groups, and foreign media of conducting “hybrid warfare” against him and his country.
**Demand for Investigation**
The Belgrade Center for Security Policy strongly condemned the authorities’ misuse of digital technologies for surveillance. The group demanded an immediate investigation into the allegations reported by Amnesty International and called for the prosecution of those responsible within the police and the BIA.
This practice is considered a direct attack on fundamental freedoms, including the right to peaceful assembly, freedom of expression, and the right of association.