Cellebrite Cuts Ties With Serbia for Abusing Its Surveillance Tech

Israeli digital forensics company Cellebrite has suspended its services in Serbia after allegations that Serbian authorities used its technology to plant spyware on the phones of a journalist and an activist. The decision follows a report from Amnesty International, published in December 2024, which accused Serbian police of using Cellebrite’s phone-cracking tools to gain access to mobile devices and install spyware called Novispy.

Amnesty's findings suggest that the Serbian government has systematically used this technology to target civil society figures critical of the administration. Cellebrite announced on February 25, 2025, that it had reviewed the allegations and found it necessary to halt the use of its products in Serbia. The company stated that "ethical, judicial, and lawful use of our technology is paramount to our mission."

It added that it does not develop spyware or tools for real-time surveillance and that any misuse of its products would be in violation of its end-user agreement. Amnesty International welcomed the move but insisted that Serbian authorities should conduct their own investigation into the allegations.

"Withdrawing licenses from customers who misused the equipment for political reasons is a critical first step," said Donncha Ó Cearbhaill, head of Amnesty’s Security Lab. "Now, Serbian authorities must urgently conduct their own thorough and impartial investigations, hold those responsible to account, provide remedies to victims and establish adequate safeguards to prevent future abuse."

A TechCrunch report cited the case of investigative journalist Slaviša Milanov, who was detained by Serbian police in February 2024. According to Amnesty, Milanov's phone was confiscated during questioning, and he later discovered signs of spyware infection.

The Record also reported that Serbia has seen a rise in government-led crackdowns on independent media, with activists and journalists frequently targeted. According to the report, Serbian authorities raided the offices of several civil society groups in February, citing corruption allegations related to USAID funding.

Cellebrite’s decision reflects a growing concern among tech firms about the misuse of surveillance tools by authoritarian governments. The company has stated that it regularly evaluates the countries it does business with, assessing human rights records and political conditions. Since 2020, it has stopped selling products in over 60 countries.