Citizens are protesting in front of the Novi Sad court because the detained activists who were wiretapped had their detention extended for another 30 days. The court building, where the prosecutor’s offices are also located, is full of police in riot gear.
This protest was called by the Movement of Free Citizens (PSG), the Novi Sad Citizens’ Assemblies, and students, who first gathered on campus, and then walked to the court via Cara Lazara Boulevard, Stražilovskom Street, and Sutjeska Street.
Stražilovskom Street was closed to traffic, and the gathered crowd chanted “Freedom for the people, prison for the inhumane.”
The protest demanded the immediate release of the arrested activists of PSG and Stav. It is recalled that the arrested professor of the Jovina Gymnasium, Marija Vasić from PSG, started a hunger and thirst strike yesterday.
Among the demonstrators are also Marija’s students from the “Jovan Jovanović Zmaj” Gymnasium.
Bojan Terzić from the “Solidarnost” political platform reminded that prosecutor Slobodan Josimović, who requested the extension of detention and a sentence of 5 years in prison for the activists, is the same one who requested the release of former minister Goran Vesić and who is working on the canopy collapse case.
“Do we really believe that he will work properly and that those responsible for the death of 16 people will end up in prison? The judge presiding over this case is the same one who stated that students should be beaten with batons to stop them. What is essentially important is that they are keeping them in detention so that we remain silent, to put pressure on activists to extort a confession because they have no evidence and know that the proceedings will fail,” said Terzić.
Member of GP Bravo, Marija Srdić, said that it is important to be in solidarity.
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“I am here as Marija’s friend. From the first day that Marija and five other friends were detained, we have been mobilized. Her message that ‘she does not seek mercy, nor would she give it’ are the words of Rade Končar who stood before the firing squad. He asked the cowards to shoot him in the chest, but they shot him in the back, just as this regime shoots us in the back today. Throughout her career, Marija teaches her students about anti-fascism, which is not just the Partisan struggle, but also an attitude and integrity. My message to the students is that they have hidden that history from you and ask yourselves why that is so. Why are they hiding the truth from you, why are they lying to you and turning you against people who are your and our comrades,” stated Srdić.
As she added, all rebellious citizens of Serbia belong in Novi Sad today, and freedom is defended in this city today.
Journalist Igor Mihaljević said that the literal defense of Marija Vasić’s life is underway, and that “open fascism” is on the scene.
“Dear citizens, it is a bad day for us. What does a civic activist mean – it means that I have a pulse and I come here to defend the lives of those detained. If you have wondered what life in fascism looks like, here you go, we are here. They use identical models of governance as fascists, dictators, and others around the world use. We are currently in a situation where no one voted for the prime minister and the president of the Assembly in our country. We have been in a civil war for months. The ruling party would most like the citizens to become aggressive, but our greatest asset is decency and dignity. I would call on all law enforcement agencies to arrest us all here immediately. Apparently, only those who are silent are safe. This is the zero point of human dignity and survival. Today Marija, tomorrow any of us. This will last, it has only just begun, we must first save Marija’s life and get these people out to freedom,” said Mihaljević.
At 11:52 AM, a sixteen-minute tribute was paid to the victims in Novi Sad.
It was announced that the protest will last until the end of working hours, and that tomorrow, if the activists are not released from detention, citizens will block the court and prosecutor’s office buildings from 7 AM.
It is recalled that Marija Vasić, Davor Stefanović, Srđan Đurić, Mladen Cvijetić, and Lado Jovović from PSG, as well as student Lazar Dinić from Stav, have been in detention for two months, due to alleged subversion of the constitutional order.
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Source: Danas, Photo: FoNet / 021