{"id":13914,"date":"2025-08-08T20:32:17","date_gmt":"2025-08-08T20:32:17","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zadecu.org\/?p=13914"},"modified":"2025-08-08T20:32:19","modified_gmt":"2025-08-08T20:32:19","slug":"serbia-must-halt-crackdown-on-student-movement-uphold-human-rights-and-academic-freedom-un-experts","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zadecu.org\/en\/serbia-must-halt-crackdown-on-student-movement-uphold-human-rights-and-academic-freedom-un-experts\/","title":{"rendered":"Serbia must halt crackdown on student movement, uphold human rights and academic freedom: UN experts"},"content":{"rendered":"
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GENEVA<\/strong>\u00a0\u2013 UN human rights experts<\/a>* expressed deep concern over Serbia\u2019s intensifying crackdown on students, professors, human rights defenders, civil society actors and citizens amid one of the largest protest movements in the country\u2019s recent history.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat we are witnessing in Serbia is a systematic attempt to silence critical voices and dismantle the independence of academic institutions,\u201d the experts said. \u201cThis is not just a student protest \u2014 it is a test of human rights accountability and democratic resilience.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cAccess to justice, effective remedies and reparation is a fundamental right under international human rights law,\u201d the experts said. \u201cVictims of human rights violations must be able to seek justice, obtain redress, and be protected from further harm and retaliation.\u201d<\/p>\n

The protests, led by the \u201cStudents in Blockade\u201d movement, erupted in late 2024 and have since swept across Serbia. What began as a call for accountability following the tragic collapse of the Novi Sad railway canopy \u2014 which killed 16 people and severely injured others \u2014 has grown into a nationwide demand for accountability, transparency, justice, and investment in education. The movement reached a peak in March 2025, when hundreds of thousands of people gathered in Belgrade in a powerful display of civic unity, the experts said.<\/p>\n

The experts noted that the Government\u2019s response has been marked by a troubling pattern of repression. Peaceful demonstrators have reportedly faced intimidation, physical attacks, surveillance, and arrests, often without legal justification. Students and university officials have allegedly been targeted in coordinated smear campaigns, with state-aligned media publishing hundreds of defamatory articles, and labelling demonstrators as ‘terrorists\u2019, a term also used by government representatives.<\/p>\n

Since late June 2025, Serbia has experienced an escalation in policing of peaceful, student-led protests, with reports indicating that, at certain junctions, over 200 demonstrations have occurred daily.<\/strong>\u00a0Authorities have responded with excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and prolonged detentions, including among high school and university students. Reports of unlawful surveillance, serious injuries, and the deployment of unidentified or plainclothes officers have raised grave concerns about transparency, accountability, and respect for human rights. \u201cInstead of listening young people\u2019s voices, the Government has chosen to punish them,\u201d the experts said. \u201cThis approach not only violates international human rights standards, but also, by its very nature, undermines the very foundation of a democratic society.\u201d<\/p>\n

They stressed that educational institutions have come under pressure. Faculty salaries have been slashed and\/or suspended and research funding drastically reduced. Highschool teachers and students have reportedly been subjected to administrative scrutiny and threats of disciplinary action for participating in or supporting the demonstrations.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs the academic year closes and enrolment begins, we urge Serbia to renew its commitment to human rights and meaningful dialogue,\u201d the experts said, hopeful that the new school year will enable students and educators to learn and teach free from intimidation. They stressed that academic freedom and student rights are pillars of any democratic and inclusive society.<\/p>\n

The UN experts called on the Serbian Government to immediately cease all forms of retaliation and intimidation, ensure the safety and rights of students, educators, human rights defenders, civil society actors and citizens and engage in meaningful dialogue with academic institutions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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*The experts:<\/p>\n