Italian Citizen Arrested by Serbian Police at Merdare Border for Wearing a T-Shirt with UÇK Emblem

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An Italian citizen has been arrested by Serbian authorities at the Merdare border crossing under accusations of possessing a T-shirt bearing the emblem of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK).

According to a statement released by the Serbian Ministry of Internal Affairs, the arrested individual, identified by the initials E.E., is suspected of committing the criminal offense of inciting national, racial, and religious hatred and intolerance.

“E.E. has been ordered to remain in custody for up to 48 hours and will be brought before the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Prokuplje with a criminal complaint,” the ministry’s statement dated October 12, 2025, reads.

This is the second such incident in just a few days. On October 9, 2025, Serbian authorities announced the arrest of an Albanian citizen on similar charges.

Serbia’s Minister of Internal Affairs, Ivica Dačić, stated that police officers in Prokuplje, in cooperation with Serbian Customs, arrested the suspect identified as D.P. (born 1972) from Albania. He was also detained for 48 hours before being referred to the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Prokuplje.

Meanwhile, previous reports from Serbian police indicated that at the same Merdare border crossing, authorities found in a van driven by a Kosovo citizen several items with UÇK symbols, including:

  • 22 T-shirts,
  • 244 flags,
  • 86 caps with the inscription “UÇK”,
  • 65 sweaters depicting Adem Jashari and Agim Ramadani,
  • 58 scarves with the Albanian coat of arms,
  • and 92 caps bearing the emblem of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK).

The case has sparked reactions on social media, where many users criticized Serbia’s actions as a provocation and a violation of basic freedoms for detaining foreign nationals over Albanian symbols.