BELGRADE, 28 January 2026 – On the occasion of International Data Privacy Day, Partners Serbia warns that during 2025 Serbia continued to face a worrying trend of misuse of citizens’ personal data and serious violations of the right to privacy, in the absence of adequate institutional response and accountability. Rather than being protected as a fundamental human right, privacy has increasingly been used as a tool for intimidation, pressure, and the shrinking of civic space.

Partners Serbia invites journalists, media representatives, institutions, experts, and the general public to participate in Privacy Week, taking place from 26 to 31 January at multiple locations. The central conference will be held on 29 January, with Dr. Ana Brian Nougrères, United Nations Special Rapporteur on the Right to Privacy, as the keynote speaker. Registration is available via the Privacy Week Registration Form, while additional information can be obtained by calling +381 11 323 1551 or +381 11 323 1552.

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Throughout 2025, numerous cases of unlawful use of surveillance technologies were documented, including the deployment of spyware against journalists, activists, protest participants, and citizens. Despite serious findings by international and domestic organizations—such as Amnesty International’s report Digital Prison and the SHARE Foundation’s annual report documenting over 250 incidents of digital rights violations—relevant state institutions failed to respond, and accountability for violations of citizens’ rights remained absent.

Particularly alarming are the cases in which state authorities directly compromised citizens’ privacy, including the publication of students’ personal data, as well as the long-standing practice of introducing mass video surveillance systems with advanced functionalities, including facial recognition, in schools, kindergartens, gerontological centers, and public spaces. Analyses conducted by Partners Serbia and BIRN indicate that these systems were implemented with serious legal and ethical shortcomings, without adequate privacy safeguards or effective public oversight. At the same time, an increasing number of SLAPP lawsuits targeting investigative journalists and activists has been recorded, including the misuse of personal data protection legislation to suppress freedom of expression and assembly.

At the normative level, although several strategic and legislative documents were adopted in 2025—such as the Artificial Intelligence Development Strategy and the new Law on Information Security—key legislation aimed at strengthening the personal data protection framework and institutional accountability remains delayed or introduces new systemic risks. Furthermore, proposed amendments to criminal legislation, despite certain positive steps in addressing digital violence, create additional space for the expansion of repressive mechanisms and covert surveillance of communications.

In contrast, during 2025, the European Union intensified oversight of major digital platforms. Nevertheless, concerns persist within the EU regarding initiatives that could weaken existing levels of digital rights protection, highlighting the ongoing need for public debate and strong civil society engagement.

Partners Serbia emphasizes that the right to privacy is not a technical or bureaucratic matter, but a cornerstone of democratic society, freedom of expression, and human dignity. Without clear institutional accountability and effective protection of citizens’ rights, digital transformation risks becoming yet another domain for abuse and inequality.