At the panel discussion “Freedoms Under Pressure: Civil Society and Digital Oversight in Serbia and Abroad”, organised by the Belgrade Centre for Security Policy (BCSP) on 31 October in Belgrade, speakers warned that digital surveillance and spyware use are rapidly becoming tools of political control in Serbia and across Europe, posing severe risks to human rights and democracy.

The contemporary information environment has redefined the ecosystem of extremist groups, shifting them significantly towards online engagement.

Anti-establishment extremism (AEE) is increasingly attracting the attention of both the public and experts in terrorism and extremism.

Ecological degradation and climate change in recent decades have raised citizens’ concerns and led to the formation of many environmental protection movements. However, alongside legitimate activism, radical and extremist groups have also emerged, employing violent methods to draw attention to their aims.

This study is based on the analysis of open data obtained from the Internet, dealing with Telegram channels that are directly connected to official Russian media.

In October, two members of Serbian civil society organizations were notified that a “state-sponsored” attack was detected on their devices.

In the territory of former Yugoslavia, the past is still one of the most contentious topics despite the fact that more than 20 years have passed since the conflict ended. The question of how to deal with past crimes and human rights violations tends to open up a wide range of legal, political and psychological issues.

The chapter analyses the emergence and development of discriminatory narratives against the LGBTQ+ community in Serbia, and how cyberspace has provided them fertile ground, affecting the rights of LGBTQ+ people both online and offline. Using the example of EuroPride, which took place in Belgrade in 2022, it is demonstrated how digital spaces are being used as mobilizing tools by various anti-rights movements in Serbia.

What can the states and governments do to protect civilians in conflict and prevent further civilian losses in war in Ukraine? Read about it in the new analysis written by a member of the BCSP International Advisory Committee, Marta Martinelli.