Nine Užice citizens detained during protests have been ordered into custody for up to thirty days. Their fellow citizens are demanding their release from prison. If this does not happen, they are announcing an unprecedented gathering for Sunday.
Civil disobedience on the streets of Serbia continues, although it quieted down in recent days due to the fires affecting the country. Actions are now primarily focused on collecting aid for people who suffered significant damage from the fires, but in Užice, a city in western Serbia, large protest rallies have been held for days.
The reason: police brutality and the detention of local residents, including a professor, a lawyer, and a student.
On Thursday, July 10, citizens attempted to blockade institutions and then held an evening protest where they issued an ultimatum: all detainees must be released to defend themselves at liberty by Sunday, July 13.
As stated, if this does not occur, an even larger protest will be organized. Milovan Kuburović, a councilor from Užička Akcija (Užice Action), announced that on Sunday, he would call upon all of Serbia to come to Užice.
During the protest on Thursday evening, citizens lined up to sign a petition demanding the resignation of the mayor, the head of Užice police, and the deputy commander of the intervention unit, who allegedly allowed the gendarmerie’s brutality.
Who Is in Custody?
Nine individuals arrested in Užice after the blockade of the main road have been ordered into custody for up to 30 days: Radovan Novaković, Vladan Sinđić, Marko Radovanović, Pavle Cicvarić, Dejan Ćosić, Branko Nikolić, Aleksa Nikolić, Marko Krejović, and Branko Jovanović. They are suspected of assaulting an official during the blockades and protests in Užice.
Among the detained is lawyer Radovan Novaković, which led the Serbian Bar Association to decide on a three-day suspension of work in criminal proceedings. Students from the Faculty of Political Sciences are also demanding the immediate release of those arrested, while Civil Initiatives states that “the entire society has been detained in Užice.”
In its statement, the Basic Court in Užice noted that “there are specific circumstances indicating that the suspects could repeat the criminal offense.”
The incident preceding the arrests occurred when citizens of Užice attempted to blockade the main road. The police tried to disperse them, but the citizens breached the cordon and succeeded in temporarily blocking the main road.
Mass protests have been organized daily in Užice since then.
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Source: Vreme, Foto: FoNet / Zoran Đurović