U.N. Experts Call on Serbia to Halt Repression against Student Movement

Protest in Belgrade on March 15 (BETAPHOTO/EMIL VAS)

United Nations experts on human rights have expressed deep concern over the increased repression by the Serbian government against students, teachers, fighters for human rights, civil society actors and other citizens and called on the Serbian authorities to cease all forms of retribution and intimidation immediately.

The seven U.N. experts also urged the Serbian government to "ensure the safety and rights of students, educators, human rights defenders, civil society actors and citizens and engage in meaningful dialogue with academic institutions," read a statement posted on the website of the U.N. high commissioner for human rights on Aug. 4.

"What we are witnessing in Serbia is a systematic attempt to silence critical voices and dismantle the independence of academic institutions. This is not just a student protest -- it is a test of human rights accountability and democratic resilience," the U.N. experts said.

The experts called attention to the fact that the Serbian government's response to months of protests "has been marked by a troubling pattern of repression," with peaceful protesters facing "intimidation, physical attacks, surveillance, and arrests, often without legal justification," and students and university officials being targeted in smear campaigns.

The Serbian mission to the United Nations in Geneva said in response to this statement that Serbia remained strongly committed to protecting human rights, the freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, including illegal, i.e. unregistered assemblies that vastly exceed the legal limits of the freedom of expression.

A post by that mission on the X social media platform read that no democracy could tolerate violent protests or intentional attempts to destabilize institutions under any justification.