Early this morning, more than 100 citizens and students gathered in front of the court and prosecutor’s office in Sutjeska Street, Novi Sad, protesting the continued detention of activists from the STAV organization and the Free Citizens Movement (PSG). The protest was sparked by a court decision on May 13 to extend their custody by an additional 30 days, after already spending two months in detention at Klis Prison.
Among the detainees is Marija Vasić, a respected sociology teacher at the “Jovan Jovanović Zmaj” high school, who has since launched a hunger and thirst strike, refusing both food and intravenous fluids in protest of the court’s decision.
According to N1’s reporter on the scene, citizens and students began gathering before 7:00 AM, making noise with whistles and holding up banners, including one reading “No justification for violence” and another marked “Staff Room,” referencing Professor Vasić. Protesters were seen blocking three separate entrances to the court building.
Police forces were already present by 6:00 AM, having set up metal barricades near the main entrance. Members of the Gendarmerie equipped with riot gear were also stationed around the building. While only six officers were visible outside, reports suggest a significant police presence inside.
The six detained activists from PSG and STAV face charges of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order, based on an illegally recorded phone conversation broadcast by pro-government media on March 14. Another six activists, accused of the same crime, are currently abroad and remain outside the reach of Serbian authorities.
Defense lawyers have repeatedly challenged the legality of the evidence, alleging that the Security Information Agency (BIA) illegally intercepted the call and that the recording is inadmissible in court.
This protest reflects growing public concern over the erosion of democratic rights and legal transparency in Serbia, especially in cases involving opposition voices and civil activists.
