Activist Files Criminal Complaint Over Pegasus Spyware Installation by Serbian Authorities
A student activist has filed a criminal complaint against Serbian intelligence officials, police, and Israeli spyware manufacturer NSO Group after her phone was compromised through a zero-click attack on iMessage. The case represents the first confirmed successful Pegasus infection in Serbia, affecting one of 14 members of student movements, opposition figures, and activists. Lawyers argue that authorities failed to respond adequately to the alleged surveillance, which violated multiple criminal statutes including unauthorized data collection and computer access.
The complaint filed by Kontic's legal team targets multiple parties across Serbian state institutions and the private sector. The charges allege five distinct criminal violations spanning unauthorized data collection, interception, computer access, and malware deployment. Notably, state authorities have responded dismissively to the allegations—the intelligence agency characterized them as sensationalism within days of public disclosure, while the data protection commissioner claimed insufficient evidence to initiate proceedings.
The targeting of Kontic occurred through a sophisticated zero-click mechanism that required no user action, exploiting an iMessage vulnerability to compromise her device remotely. Her case marks the first confirmed successful Pegasus deployment in Serbia, though investigations into the broader group of 14 targeted individuals remain unclear in their status and progress.
This case could shape enforcement practices around digital surveillance accountability in Serbia, particularly ahead of upcoming elections. The apparent inaction by prosecution and oversight bodies may influence public confidence in institutional responses to alleged state overreach. If the complaint advances, it could establish precedents for how Serbian courts handle alleged unauthorized spyware deployment and state surveillance claims, potentially affecting how security agencies operate and how oversight mechanisms function in similar circumstances across the region.