# Pegasus Spyware Targets Serbian Opposition and Students Around Local Elections

*Thursday, September 3, 2026 at 12:08 PM UTC — Hamer Intelligence Services Desk*

**Published**: 2026-09-03T12:08:56.589Z (46m ago)
**Category**: cyber | **Region**: Europe
**Importance**: 8/10
**Sources**: OSINT
**Permalink**: https://hamerintel.com/data/articles/16718.md
**Source**: https://hamerintel.com/summaries

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**Deck**: At least 14 Serbian opposition and student activists, including a sitting MP and a local councilor, were hit with advanced spyware in early 2026, in what researchers describe as the largest documented wave in the country.

A wave of spyware attacks against Serbian opposition figures and student activists has highlighted how advanced surveillance tools are being used inside Europe around electoral contests.

At least 14 people in Serbia faced advanced spyware targeting in 2026, according to the SHARE Foundation, a Serbian digital rights group. Its forensic work, independently confirmed by Citizen Lab and Amnesty International, found that the victims included members of a student movement, a member of parliament and a local councilor, all from opposition circles. The attacks were clustered around Serbia’s March 2026 local elections.

Technical analysis reported by security researchers shows that in one case, Pegasus spyware infected a Serbian student movement member’s iPhone through a so‑called zero‑click exploit delivered via Apple’s iMessage service. A zero‑click attack does not require the victim to click a link or open a file for their phone to be compromised.

Once installed, spyware of this kind can give operators access to messages, calls, cameras and microphones on a target’s device. For politicians and activists, this can expose private communications, organizing plans and contacts, including people who did not know they were in touch with someone under surveillance.

The timing of the Serbian campaign around local elections raises concerns about the potential to influence political competition by monitoring and possibly undermining opposition activity. Even without public disclosure of who ordered or ran the spyware, awareness of such attacks can deter people from participating in protests and independent organizing.

The cases add to wider European unease over the use of commercial spyware against journalists, activists and politicians. Serbia is not an EU member but is seeking closer ties, and documented use of such tools against opposition figures could become an issue in relations with Brussels.

Further signals to watch include whether Serbian authorities open investigations into the attacks or acknowledge any role in purchasing or deploying spyware, and whether EU institutions or member states call for specific measures or inquiries in response to the findings.