Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O'Flaherty announced on April 28, after completing his visit to Serbia, that its authorities and the Ombudsman need to "quickly" complete the investigation into the allegations of the use of sound weapons at a peaceful protest in Belgrade "in order to identify the perpetrator of the incident and ensure (his) accountability."
Following a visit that lasted from April 25 to 27, O'Flaerty called on the authorities to ensure the safety of protesters, to improve the working environment for civil society organizations and human rights defenders, and to "avoid stigmatizing protesters through discourse that wrongly characterizes the demonstrations as a 'color revolution'."
"This is important so that individuals do not turn against students, risking repeating the violence against them, such as hitting them with cars or beating them with baseball bats, which we have seen in recent months," O'Flaerty wrote.
"The Commissioner calls on the authorities to effectively investigate all acts of violence committed during the demonstrations and to bring the perpetrators to justice," he concluded.
The focus of his mission in Serbia was the attitude towards demonstrations and civil society organizations, in the context of months of student protests, which were triggered by the accident in Novi Sad, where 1 people died in the collapse of the railway station canopy on November 2024, 16.
In a statement, the Commissioner expressed his gratitude to the Serbian authorities for their cooperation and openness to discussion, and noted that "the number of student demonstrations taking place every day across Serbia has strained the law enforcement forces, whose current actions appear restrained."
However, O'Flaerty added, "it is critical that the framework of democratic conduct is maintained to ensure the safety of all citizens, in line with Serbia's obligations to respect international human rights standards."
The statement also states that during his visit to Serbia, the Commissioner inquired about the alleged use of illegal sound weapons during a peaceful protest on March 15th.
Authorities reject allegations by students in the blockade, the opposition, and civil society organizations that a "sound cannon" was used.
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The investigation is ongoing and is being conducted by the European Court of Human Rights, under the auspices of the Council of Europe.
"The Commissioner has been informed that around sixty individuals have provided the relevant prosecutor's office (in Serbia) with information about the consequences that exposure to these weapons has had on their health," the statement added.
"The Commissioner calls on the authorities and the Ombudsman to swiftly conclude (their parallel) investigations (in relation to the use of sonic weapons), in order to identify the perpetrator of the incident and ensure accountability," the statement reads.
Regarding the expulsion of foreign nationals "on grounds of national security, for publicly expressing support for student demonstrations", the Commissioner called on the authorities to ensure that in each individual case there is a real opportunity to challenge claims that national security is at risk.
O'Flaherty also expressed concern about "the unfavorable working environment for NGOs and human rights defenders, which has been further exacerbated by recent government actions."
Among these actions, he included the alleged use of spyware against human rights defenders and journalists.
He also mentioned "a smear campaign through the use of the term 'foreign agent' and the passing of personal data to the media - including information from files obtained in police searches of the premises of several NGOs in connection with the investigation into the use of funds received through USAID."
The Commissioner called on the authorities to refrain from such actions and called on the Ombudsman and the Commissioner for Information of Public Importance and Personal Data Protection to fully implement their mandates.
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