A recent decision by the International Criminal Police Organization (Interpol) to reject Serbia’s request for international notices against six opposition activists has reignited debate over the country’s use of criminal charges related to alleged attempts to “undermine the constitutional order.”
According to Serbian media outlet Danas, the case is not unprecedented. The publication recalls a similar incident from 2020 involving Goran Pantelić, a Serbian national who was arrested in Germany on the basis of a Serbian warrant accusing him of threatening President Aleksandar Vučić and attempting to overthrow the constitutional order.
Pantelić was detained in April 2020 after a routine traffic stop in Germany and held pending a decision on Serbia’s extradition request. At the time, Serbian prosecutors alleged that his social media posts and online calls for protests constituted an attempt to undermine the state, while also accusing him of threatening the president.
The article states that Pantelić, a former Serbian police officer living in Switzerland, had become active on social media during the COVID-19 pandemic, promoting conspiracy theories and calling for protests against the Serbian government. His online rhetoric included vulgar insults and aggressive remarks directed at President Vučić.
However, German authorities ultimately rejected Serbia’s extradition request and released Pantelić. According to Danas, the German court viewed the case as politically motivated rather than one involving genuine threats to constitutional order or public security.
The newspaper’s author, journalist Nemanja Rujević, who covered the case extensively at the time, argues that the Pantelić decision marked the beginning of growing international skepticism toward Serbia’s use of politically sensitive criminal charges.
The issue has resurfaced after Interpol reportedly refused Serbia’s request to issue international notices against six activists from the so-called “Novi Sad Six,” who face charges linked to allegations of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order. Defense lawyers have said Interpol considered the case to be political in nature.
The development follows another controversial case involving Serbian military analyst Aleksandar Radić, who is reportedly being sought by Serbian authorities over allegations related to claims that security forces used a sonic weapon during anti-government protests.
According to Danas, the recent Interpol decision signals increasing reluctance among international law enforcement bodies to support requests perceived as politically motivated, raising broader questions about the credibility of Serbia’s use of charges related to alleged threats against the constitutional order.
