Aron Shaviv
For years, Aron Shaviv built a reputation as one of the most sought-after international political strategists, advising on dozens of successful campaigns across the globe. But in 2019, while on a business trip in Kenya, he was blindsided by an international arrest warrant issued by authorities in Montenegro.
The Montengrin prosecutor accused Aron of plotting a coup d’etat and an assassination attempt against the country’s long-time leader, Milo Dukanovic. It was an allegation so detached from reality that it might have seemed laughable if it hadn’t threatened his career, his finances, and his family’s safety overnight.
A Campaign That Threatened a Regime
The origins of this politically-charged nightmare began in 2016, when Aron was hired to run a campaign for a coalition of opposition parties in Montenegro. His task was to help unseat Dukanovic, who at the time had been in power for 27 years.
The 2016 election was one of the most contentious in the country’s history, with the opposition mounting a formidable challenge. Aron’s strategy was working and the ruling party was losing its stronghold.
In the end, Dukanovic’s party narrowly won by a 51-49 margin. But the victory came only after two opposition MPs suddenly switched sides, securing Dukanovic’s control.
The Targeting: Collateral Damage in a Broader Crackdown
In 2019, three years after the election, Montenegro’s general prosecutor issued an Interpol Red Notice against Aron, accusing him of being part of an elaborate coup attempt and suggesting that he was involved in a Russian-backed plot to overthrow the government.
Yet Aron was never a primary target, he was merely collateral damage in a much broader effort to suppress the opposition. And although he was never formally charged, the mere existence of the Red Notice was enough to significantly disrupt his life.
His strategic consulting firm lost clients overnight. Banks froze and/or closed his accounts. Beyond business, the impact extended to his family whereby his daughter was harassed at school and labeled the child of a “terrorist.”
Cleared but Never Fully Free
Several months later, after extensive legal efforts, the notice was removed and the allegations were completely discredited, with Interpol admitting outright that the case had “a predominant political dimension.” The U.S. State Department even referenced Aron’s case in its 2020 Human Rights Report on Montenegro, citing his story as an example of how the country had weaponized international law enforcement for political retribution.
But despite these formal clearances, the damage lingers several years later.
His case serves as a chilling reminder of how powerful figures can manipulate international institutions to punish those who challenge them. Even when the truth eventually emerges, the scars left by such campaigns do not easily fade.
Final Thoughts
Aron’s case is a stark reminder of how political power can be used to weaponize international institutions against individuals who challenge the status quo. Though he was never charged and the allegations were ultimately discredited within a few months of the original accusation, the impact on his life, professionally, financially, and personally, was profound. Years later, he continues to grapple with the consequences, proving that even when the truth prevails, the scars of such targeted attacks don’t simply disappear.