Around thirty members of the European Parliament representing five distinct political factions have issued a joint appeal to the European Commission. They are demanding urgent intervention to halt autocratic persecution in Serbia and to shield civic activists, investigative journalists, and university students facing severe state-led retaliation. The targeted individuals have been speaking out regarding the government’s deployment of an acoustic crowd-control device against peaceful demonstrators in Belgrade.
The formal letter, published on X (formerly Twitter) by Green MEP Vladimir Prebilič, draws direct attention to the harrowing aftermath of mass anti-corruption protests.
The March 2025 Sonic Incident and “Orwellian” Backlash
The friction stems from an anti-government rally that saw over 300,000 citizens take to the streets following the tragic canopy collapse at the Novi Sad railway station.
- The Event: On March 15, 2025, during a scheduled 15-minute silent tribute to the disaster victims, thousands of peaceful demonstrators suddenly experienced panic, disorientation, and acute physical symptoms due to an unusual, piercing airborne wave and rolling boom.
- The Counter-Narrative: Rather than instituting an independent judicial inquiry into the health anomalies reported by up to 4,000 citizens, Serbian authorities and President Aleksandar Vučić initiated what Eurodeputies call an “Orwellian counter-offensive.” The regime absurdly accused the student organizers of simulating or deploying the device themselves to instigate a civil war.
Key Elements of the Sonic Weapon Dispute
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Incident Date --> March 15, 2025 (Belgrade Anti-Corruption Rally).
Reported Symptoms --> Hearing loss, intense panic, failed pacemakers/hearing aids.
Legal Standing --> The European Court of Human Rights issued an interim measure
prohibiting Serbia from using sonic crowd-control devices.
State Justification --> Based entirely on a highly classified FSB report written in Russian.
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Persecution Driven by Classifed Russian FSB Reports
The cross-party coalition of MEPs emphasized that the ongoing police raids, seizures, and judiciary proceedings targeting young students do not represent legitimate rule of law. Instead, they constitute a coordinated psychological campaign designed to instill widespread public fear.
Joint Statement of the European Parliament Members: “The justification for this crackdown relies on highly dubious documentation that no credible domestic institution was willing to sign off on. Instead, the state relies on a controversial report by the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) written in Russian, while the official version of events is riddled with contradictions. The European Union cannot remain a silent bystander while an EU candidate country uses fabricated intelligence data to terrorize its citizens for telling the truth.”
The letter highlights blatant contradictions in the state’s official narrative: while top officials initially swore under oath that Serbia does not own such equipment, a vehicle equipped with an American-made Genasys Long-Range Acoustic Device (LRAD) was captured live on national television broadcasts parked directly outside the National Assembly. Additionally, subsequent whistleblowers revealed the equipment had been illegally tested on animals in violation of domestic welfare legislation.
Demanding Accountability from Von der Leyen and Kos
The European lawmakers explicitly called out European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Enlargement Commissioner Marta Kos, and the Head of the EU Delegation to Belgrade, Andreas von Bekerat. They demand that Brussels publicly condemn the ongoing harassment and pressure Belgrade to drop all trumped-up charges against the activists.
The petition stands as a rare, unified front in Brussels, successfully gathering signatures from five primary political groups:
- The European People’s Party (EPP)
- Socialists and Democrats (S&D) — including prominent figures Andreas Schieder and Tonino Picula
- The Greens / European Free Alliance — led by initiative organizer Vladimir Prebilič and Gordan Bosanac
- Renew Europe — including Irena Joveva and Sandro Gozi
- The Left
The signatories concluded their mandate with a firm message of solidarity to the grassroots pro-democracy movements in Belgrade: “A democratic Serbia deserves our full support, and you are not alone in this fight.”
