At least seven people detained in Serbia ahead of elections — Balkan Insight
In Serbia, police on Wednesday detained or arrested at least seven people on suspicion of preparing violent actions on the day of the parliamentary elections scheduled for Sunday, October 25. As Balkan Insight reports, five people were detained in the northern city of Novi Sad.
Suspicions concerning actions on voting day
The Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade said that the operation was conducted jointly with the Novi Sad prosecutor's office and officers of Serbia's Security Information Agency. The five detainees, aged 27 or 28, are accused of preparing violent acts, unrest, and attacks on political opponents and police officers on election day.
According to the prosecution, they recruited people for physical confrontations and planned to travel to Belgrade for a violent change of the constitutional order and the overthrow of the highest state authorities. The office claims that the group was to use mobile teams for attacks, and listed balaclavas, wooden sticks, flares, knives, and weapons among the items that were allegedly to be provided to participants. The five individuals were detained for up to 48 hours.
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Detention of activists
Lawyer Rastko Naumov said that his client, Belgrade opposition activist Srdjan Ilic, was detained after a search of his home. According to the lawyer, law enforcement officers seized computers, phones, hard drives, and other electronic devices. After the search, Ilic voluntarily went to the police to provide a statement, where he was detained for up to 48 hours.
The informal organization “Belgrade Remains,” of which Ilic is a member, said on social media platform X that police also came to the addresses of several of its activists. Another activist was detained in Vrnjacka Banja in central Serbia, said Katarina Obradovic, coordinator of the opposition “Student List.” According to her, only “Student List” campaign materials were found during the search of the house, while electronic devices were seized.
Mass student anti-government protests have been ongoing in Serbia for nearly two years. The student movement put forward the “Student List” for the early elections, comprising professors and experts selected by the movement.
