The Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Novi Sad (Photo; novisad.vjt.rs)
On Nov. 24, university students and members of the general public rallied in front of the Novi Sad Courthouse to support the activists from the University Students Against Authoritarian Government group and the oppositional Free Citizens’ Movement who are standing trial for allegedly attempting to topple the constitutional order.
The people gathered in response to a call issued by the protesting students of the University of Novi Sad and Novi Sad’s local citizens’ assemblies.
“A message is being sent to all of us: shut up or you’ll be next,” the call stated.
The activists on trial were arrested ahead of Belgrade’s massive March 15 protest rally, staged by the country’s university students. The accused were incarcerated for over seven months, first in jail, then on house arrest, before finally being released in October.
The justification for the arrests was a surveillance recording of a conversation between the accused regarding the upcoming March 15 rally, which was quickly broadcast by pro-regime media.
The defense team has repeatedly drawn attention to the case’s lack of legal foundation – including the fact that said recording was obtained without a warrant – and have insisted that the entire matter is a “classic” example of political harassment of regime opponents.
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