Ahead of today’s protest in Belgrade, we are witnessing a worrying escalation of repressive measures aimed at discouraging citizens from participating in peaceful gatherings and expressing dissatisfaction. From the arrest of citizens to the banning of foreign journalists from entering Serbia – these actions represent a serious violation of basic rights and abuse of institutions for political purposes.
Political activists and students were arrested yesterday after pro-government tabloids timely published their wiretapped conversations, triggering a targeting campaign. Immediately afterwards, the president and state officials prejudged the blame, labeling them as terrorists, thereby exerting political pressure on the judiciary and instrumentalizing institutions for dealing with dissidents.
At the same time, the President of the National Assembly highlighted the allegation that the University of Belgrade has contact with the military union. Although there is nothing illegal in the communication of various actors in society, the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office expressly ordered the police to investigate “whether and who among the members of the University of Belgrade were in contact with the Military Union”.
At the same time, the suppression of media freedom intensified. Journalist teams were banned from entering Serbia under the pretext of “security risk”, a KTV journalist was detained again yesterday, while a fake protest was organized in front of the N1 newsroom the day before, in an attempt to further discredit and intimidate this media.
In the last two days, we have also noted the barricading of the city center with the delivery of a huge number of tractors, reports of the employment of beaters in Belgrade, stopping people at the border when entering the country and widespread sabotage of the transport of protest participants, along with today’s cancellation of city and suburban transport in Belgrade. All this points to a systematic attempt by the government to suppress any kind of resistance through repression and manipulation of public opinion.
Such actions are part of a wider strategy of intimidation, provocation of violence and sending the message that any individual can be monitored, targeted and arrested for any word spoken in any context. Institutions are obliged to act in accordance with the law and protect the basic rights of citizens, instead of participating in their violation.
We call on the police and the prosecutor’s office not to succumb to political pressure and to act professionally and impartially during today’s protest, in accordance with their legal obligations.