The Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade announced on Monday that police forces have raided the apartment and office of prominent military analyst Aleksandar Radić.
The operation is tied to an ongoing investigation into the alleged deployment of a “sonic cannon” (Long Range Acoustic Device – LRAD) during a massive anti-government protest on March 15, 2025. Prosecutors confirmed that Radić will undergo an official informative interrogation regarding his “controversial statements” concerning the police’s alleged use of acoustic weaponry against civilian demonstrators.
Constitutional Charges and Executive Backing
Radić’s legal counsel, Stefan Ćorda, stated that there is absolutely no legal basis for his client’s detention. Speaking to N1, Ćorda revealed that police are actively collecting evidence to build a case against Radić for the alleged criminal offense of “Attack on the Constitutional Order of Serbia.”
Ćorda relayed that Radić views the judicial pressure as a coordinated witch hunt aimed at silencing independent experts. Radić was among the first military analysts to publicly testify that the crowd control tactics used in 2025 aligned with specialized sonic weaponry.
Presidential Response: Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić commented heavily on the raid during a broadcast on Informer TV, explicitly warning that “everyone who claimed the government used a ‘sonic cannon’ will be brought in to give statements.” Vučić re-emphasized that security sectors have deemed the sonic cannon claims a total fabrication.
The March 2025 Sonic Cannon Incident
The controversy stems from an anti-government rally held over a year ago, where thousands of citizens gathered to pay tribute to the victims of the Novi Sad railway station canopy collapse.
- The Incident: During the peaceful assembly, thousands of protestors suddenly fled the streets after reporting unusual, high-frequency sounds and intense physical vibrations that triggered immediate nausea and panic.
- The State’s Counter-Theory: The Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office claims to have intercepted details of a January 2025 meeting involving the “Students in Blockade” movement. Authorities allege the student activists plotted to “simulate a situation” to falsely frame the police for using an acoustic weapon.
- The Activists’ Rebuttal: The student organization immediately rejected the prosecutor’s narrative on social media, labeling it “yet another fabrication designed to deflect attention from the core question: what actually happened on March 15?“
Media Intimidation and Broadening Sweeps
The investigation has rapidly expanded into independent media circles. While Radić’s home was being searched, Vojkan Kostić, the Editor-in-Chief of the independent news agency Beta, was served an emergency summons.
Kostić was taken to the Criminal Police Directorate (UKP) for evening interrogation before being released. Kostić explained that he was simply having coffee with Radić when an inspector called the analyst home without explanation, and he had accompanied his colleague out of professional solidarity.
Growing Outcry and International Scrutiny
The sudden escalation against journalists and defense analysts has sparked deep concern across regional media watchdogs.
| Organization / Entity | Official Stance | Current Action |
| Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM) | Strongly condemned the raids, stating that “targeting journalists and analysts poses a direct threat to freedom of speech.“ | Demanded an immediate halt to judicial harassment. |
| First Basic Public Prosecutor’s Office | Confirmed the year-old case remains strictly in the pre-investigative phase. | Collected security footage and interviewed 170 citizens so far. |
| EU & United Nations | Expressed deep concern regarding crowd control tactics in Serbia. | Repeatedly called for an independent, transparent investigation. |
While independent investigators, activists, and opposition parties insist that specialized acoustic gear was deployed, the Serbian government continues to issue absolute denials. The case remains a major flashpoint for civil liberties in the region.
