Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Michael O'Flaherty, who visited Serbia from May 18 to 21, today called on the Serbian authorities to regulate and secure tomorrow's student protest in full compliance with their human rights obligations, assessing that the human rights situation has deteriorated compared to his visit last year, Danas reports.
A statement from the Council of Europe Office in Belgrade stated that the Commissioner's visit related to issues of the right to freedom of expression, including freedom of the media, the right to peaceful assembly, as well as the protection of civic space.
O'Flaherty noted with concern the authorities' violent response to public gatherings and student-led protests, which were caused by the tragedy in Novi Sad in November 2024.
There are numerous reports of excessive use of force and police violence, as well as arrests of peaceful protesters and humiliating treatment of them in detention, as well as reports that the police are protecting unidentified and often masked attackers of journalists and protesters, the statement said.
It is a cause for concern that substantiated complaints of unacceptable police behavior appear not to have been investigated or prosecuted, O'Flaerty said, expressing concern that, despite the submission of testimony from more than 3.000 citizens, no formal investigation has yet been launched into the alleged stun gun attack on March 15, 2025.
O'Flaerty assessed that the current climate of impunity for police abuses has eroded public trust in law enforcement and other public authorities.
When it comes to freedom of expression and freedom of the media, O'Flaerty was informed of an increase in violence, intimidation and harassment of journalists and civil society actors who criticize government policies.
He assessed that in the context of government dominance in the media sector and the lack of a functional media regulator, the space for dissent is rapidly narrowing and undermining political debate and the exercise of the right to access diverse sources of information, which is particularly problematic in the current election context.
The Commissioner is concerned about physical attacks on journalists and threats to their safety and the safety of their families, as well as the lack of response by the police.
According to data from the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists in Serbia, which consists of journalist associations, the prosecutor's office, and the police, only five out of around 200 documented attacks on journalists recorded during 2024 and 2025 resulted in final court verdicts.
The media environment has been disrupted by a large number of SLAPP lawsuits directed against journalists, especially those reporting on student protests and ongoing corruption investigations, said O'Flaerty, who noted a collapsed media market in which state media and advertising funds are mostly directed towards pro-government media outlets.
As stated, the Commissioner was surprised by the common assessment of many interlocutors that the overall situation with civic space in Serbia had sharply deteriorated since his last visit.
Civil society organizations, especially those dealing with human rights, the fight against corruption, and election monitoring, are routinely portrayed as “traitors” or “foreign agents” in pro-government media, and some high-ranking officials do the same.
O'Flaherty stated that he was concerned about the high level of hate speech directed against civil society that could lead to physical violence, as well as the fact that publicly honoring the victims of the tragedy in Novi Sad could allegedly result in dismissal from public employment, intimidation, and harassment.
Stressing that the decline in the credibility of state institutions responsible for human rights must be stopped and repaired, O'Flaerty assessed that it was important that the recommendations of the Venice Commission on the so-called Mrdić laws be fully and consistently implemented, especially with regard to protecting the autonomy of the prosecution.
He emphasized the importance of independent institutions for the protection of human rights and agreed with many interlocutors who believe that the Ombudsman is not fulfilling his mandate regarding the topics that were the subject of the visit.
The Commissioner expressed his concern about the polarization in Serbia, where mechanisms for cooperation between civil society and the authorities on human rights are no longer functioning, and called on the authorities to create a conducive environment for free debate and public participation.
The Commissioner notes that large demonstrations are scheduled for Saturday, 23 May. He calls on the authorities to regulate and secure them in full compliance with their human rights obligations, stating that he will closely monitor the situation.
During his visit to Serbia, O'Flaerty met with Chief Prosecutor Zagorka Dolovac, Ombudsman Zoran Pašalić, and Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Milan Antonijević, and also had meetings with a wide range of representatives of civil society, the media, and the academic community.
Authorities have canceled scheduled meetings with the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue, and the Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Interior, the statement said.
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