A Swiss report reveals that Serbia purchased phone surveillance technology worth nearly CHF 2 million, raising concerns over government monitoring of activists and journalists.
Switzerland has sold Serbia advanced phone surveillance technology worth nearly CHF 2 million, including IMSI catchers that enable mobile phone tracking and eavesdropping, Swiss newspaper Blick reports.
The revelation comes as Serbia faces escalating political unrest. Prime Minister Miloš Vučević resigned earlier this week, but opposition groups continue to demand deep reforms and the removal of President Aleksandar Vučić’s government, which they claim is increasingly authoritarian and aligned with Russia.
According to Blick, Amnesty International (AI) and investigative network BIRN reported in late 2024 that Serbian authorities had illegally installed spyware on dozens of devices belonging to journalists and activists. The government has denied these allegations.
However, newly uncovered data suggests Serbia relied on Swiss technology for surveillance. In 2023, Swiss authorities approved the sale of IMSI catchers, which can intercept mobile subscriber identities and pinpoint phone locations. Though such devices are typically used for crime prevention, their sale to Serbia is controversial due to Swiss export regulations, which prohibit deliveries if there is reason to believe they may be used for repression.
The Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Affairs (SECO) confirmed the sale, stating that it was approved after consultations with the Swiss defense ministry and intelligence agencies. SECO spokesperson Fabian Meienfisch defended the decision, arguing that there was no sufficient evidence at the time to suggest misuse. However, Blick notes that, given recent surveillance allegations, Swiss authorities might have acted differently today.
The report further highlights Vučić’s increasingly authoritarian rule, pointing out that Serbia is witnessing its largest protests since the overthrow of Slobodan Milošević in 2000. With Vučević stepping down, demonstrators now focus their anger directly on Vučić, whom they accuse of consolidating power through media control, judicial influence, and state surveillance.
As Serbia’s crisis deepens, international scrutiny over its use of surveillance technology is likely to grow.
