UN Rapporteurs: The impression that the use of sonic weapons caused mass panic at the protest in Belgrade on March 15th

United Nations (UN) special rapporteurs stated in a document sent to the Serbian government that they cannot confirm that sound weapons were used at a mass protest in Belgrade on March 15, but that the evidence they received leaves the impression that the use of such weapons caused mass panic among the gathered demonstrators.

A document sent to the Serbian government by six UN special rapporteurs on April 2 states that the use of sound weapons to disperse peacefully gathered people would constitute an unlawful dispersal of a peaceful protest, and that the use of such weapons at a time when demonstrators were silently paying tribute to those killed in the collapse of a canopy at the Novi Sad railway station would be "particularly disproportionate and cruel."

"While we cannot confirm that such weapons were used in this context, the evidence we have received appears to indicate that the use of such weapons caused mass panic, which is against the precautionary principle," the UN special rapporteurs said.

In the document, the UN rapporteurs express serious concerns and demand official information from Serbia regarding the measures taken by the state to conduct a prompt, impartial, independent and effective investigation into the possible use of sonic/acoustic weapons to illegally disperse a peaceful assembly on March 15, reports the non-governmental organization Belgrade Center for Human Rights.

Additional information was requested on the legal basis for such weapons, prior authorizations, chain of command and justification for use, on the possession of less-lethal weapons acquired or produced by Serbia, including acoustic or other sound-wave-based weapons, as well as information on the number and types of injuries resulting from the possible use of the device in question.

Numerous demonstrators, who were on King Milan Street during the 15-minute tribute to the dead, testified after the protest that they heard an unpleasant sound, reminiscent of the sound of an airplane or rocket, which caused the crowd to suddenly move from the roadway to the sidewalk.

The UN rapporteurs also stated that the use of sound devices must be clearly regulated by law, with a special and high-ranking permit for a specific situation, and that it is necessary to ensure oversight and transparent reporting on such use.

The document also states that the information received about the events at the March 15 protest raises serious concerns about the full implementation of the Serbian government's obligations to respect and protect rights and fundamental freedoms under international human rights law, the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, as well as obligations under the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, including the failure to protect protesters.

UN Special Rapporteurs have expressed serious concern about the increasing restrictions on the right to freedom of peaceful assembly and in particular the possible use of an illegal sound device, given the claims of numerous protesters about injuries and health problems they have experienced.

The document also states that Serbia has an obligation to regulate and monitor the production, procurement and use of equipment used by the police and law enforcement agencies, and that special caution is required when using experimental weapons, which include sound devices, because their nature is not sufficiently known, nor have the medical and other effects of their use been sufficiently researched.

"These weapons and devices carry the risk of causing temporary or permanent hearing damage, depending on the model, distance and duration of exposure. They can be misused in an indiscriminate manner against a crowd of people or used to cause injury. Their effect, which relies on sensory disorientation, and whose effects are general rather than targeted, can cause dangerous stampedes and chaotic behavior, affecting both demonstrators and bystanders," the document sent to the Serbian Government states.

The document of the UN special rapporteurs was published 60 days from the moment of its submission to the Government of Serbia, and will be included in the regular report of the UN Human Rights Council, as well as any responses, if Serbia submits them.

The six special rapporteurs who sent the document to the Government of Serbia are the Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and association Gina Romero, the Special Rapporteur on the right to education Farida Shahid, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression Irene Khan, the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health Tlaleng Mofokeng, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights defenders Mary Lawlor, and the Special Rapporteur on torture, ill-treatment and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment Alice Jill Edwards.

Regarding the events during and immediately after the protests in Belgrade on March 15, the UN Special Rapporteurs were approached by six non-governmental organizations – the Belgrade Center for Human Rights, CRTA, Civic Initiatives, Initiative A11, FemPlatz, and the Lawyers' Committee for Human Rights – YUCOM.

On April 30, the European Court of Human Rights issued an interim measure ordering Serbia to refrain from using sound devices for the purpose of crowd control until further notice, following a request filed by these non-governmental organizations on behalf of 47 Serbian citizens.

On April 9, these six organizations filed a criminal complaint for terrorism with the Prosecutor's Office for Organized Crime due to the incident at the protest on March 15, while the First Basic Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade is conducting a pre-investigation procedure to collect statements from more than 150 citizens who found themselves in Kralja Milana Street and the area around Slavija Square at 19:11 PM, when the 15-minute silence was interrupted by an unknown sound.

The opposition movement Kreni-promeni also addressed the United Nations in early April, requesting an international investigation into the possible use of unidentified prohibited weapons during the protests on March 15. The movement, led by Sava Manojlović, states that in its request for an investigation, it attached 595.176 signatures of Serbian citizens, more than 30 video recordings from the scene, more than 50 drone recordings from the surrounding area, a drone recording that was used for forensic analysis of the possible direction from which the sonic boom originated, and a file with 1.953 testimonies about symptoms after the sonic boom.