The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, stayed for a four-day visit to Serbia, during which he spoke with the students in the blockade. He then sent an official statement highlighted on the website of the Council of Europe, in which he stated his observations on the situation in Serbia.
The Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, conducted a mission to Serbia last year with the aim of assessing police actions during demonstrations and the working environment for civil society and human rights defenders.
And this year, he visited Serbia from May 18 to 21, when, among other things, he spoke with the students in the blockade.
Soon after, he made a statement on the official website of the Council of Europe about his impressions of Serbia, which concern the students, their activities, and the authorities’ attitude toward them.
We transmit the Commissioner’s statement in its entirety.
“Following his visit to Serbia from 18 to 21 May 2026, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, issues the following statement, which should be viewed together with his previous interventions:
The Commissioner’s visit to Serbia concerned the issues of the right to freedom of expression, including media freedom, the right to peaceful assembly, as well as the protection of civic space. The Commissioner expresses his gratitude to his interlocutors and Serbian government officials in Strasbourg and Belgrade who assisted in his visit. He believes that the situation has worsened since his previous visit in April 2025.
The Commissioner has been informed about the rise in violence, intimidation, and harassment of journalists and civil society actors who criticize government policies. In the context of government dominance in the media sector and the lack of a functional media regulator, the rapidly shrinking space for dissent undermines political debate and the exercise of the right to access diverse sources of information. This is particularly problematic in the current pre-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 police reaction. According to data from the Permanent Working Group for the Safety of Journalists in Serbia, which consists of journalists’ associations, the prosecution, and the police, only five of about 200 documented attacks on journalists recorded during 2024 and 2025 resulted in final court verdicts. The media environment is also undermined by a large number of SLAPP lawsuits (strategic lawsuits against public participation) aimed against journalists, especially those reporting on student protests and ongoing investigations into corruption. He further notes a degraded media market where state funds for media and advertising are mostly directed toward pro-government media.
The Commissioner notes with concern the violent response of the authorities to public gatherings and protests led by students, 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 demonstrators and humiliating treatment in detention.
There are also reports that the police protect unidentified and often masked attackers of journalists and demonstrators. A cause for concern is the fact that substantiated complaints of unacceptable police behavior do not seem to have been investigated or prosecuted. Moreover, the Commissioner expresses concern that, despite the submission of testimonies by more than 3,000 citizens, an official investigation has still not been launched into the alleged acoustic weapon attack on March 15, 2025.
The Commissioner believes that the current climate of impunity for police abuses has eroded public trust in law enforcement organs and other public authorities.
The Commissioner was surprised by the common assessment of many interlocutors that the overall situation with civic space in Serbia has 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, as well as by some high-ranking officials. The Commissioner is concerned about the high level of speech of hatred directed against civil society and how it can lead to physical violence.
He further notes with concern how publicly paying tribute to the victims of the tragedy in Novi Sad can allegedly result in dismissal from a public job, intimidation, and harassment.
The decline in the credibility of state institutions competent for human rights must be stopped and repaired.
The Commissioner believes it is important that the recommendations of the Venice Commission on the so-called Mrdić laws are fully and consistently implemented, particularly regarding the protection of the autonomy of the prosecution. He also highlights the importance of independent institutions for the protection of human rights and unfortunately agrees with many interlocutors who believe that the Protector of Citizens (ombudsman) does not fulfill his mandate regarding the topics that were the subject of the visit. The Commissioner finds the polarization in Serbia worrying, where mechanisms of cooperation between civil society and the authorities regarding human rights no longer function. He calls on the authorities to create a favorable environment for free debate and public participation.
The Commissioner notes that large demonstrations are scheduled for Saturday, May 23. He calls on the authorities to regulate and secure them in full compliance with their human rights obligations. He will carefully monitor the situation.
During his visit, the Commissioner met with the Chief Prosecutor Zagorka Dolovac, the Protector of Citizens Zoran Pašalić, and the Commissioner for the Protection of Equality Milan Antonijević. He also held meetings with a wide spectrum of representatives of civil society, media, and the academic community. The authorities canceled the scheduled meetings with the Minister of Justice, the Minister for Human and Minority Rights and Social Dialogue, and the Acting Secretary of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in relation to which the Commissioner reaffirms his commitment to dialogue,” the statement says.
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Source: Nova.rs, Photo: Nova.rs; opengovpartnership.org