The Ministry of Interior announced the arrest of nine active officers and one former officer from an elite unit for abusing individuals in a Belgrade government garage in August 2025. State broadcaster Radio Television of Serbia reported that Special Antiterrorism Unit commander Igor Zmiric was among the detained suspects. The targeted demonstrations originated from anti-corruption rallies triggered by a fatal railway canopy collapse in Novi Sad that killed 16 people in November 2024. These legal actions come as the victorious student-led movement demands comprehensive institutional reforms across domestic intelligence and police agencies.
Key points
The arrests directly address demands from the victorious student movement to reform secur…: The arrests directly address demands from the victorious student movement to reform security agencies after ending Aleksandar Vucic's 12-year rule.
Establishing accountability for police misconduct is crucial as the European Union condit…: Establishing accountability for police misconduct is crucial as the European Union conditions further accession talks on democratic reforms.
Rights monitors including Amnesty International previously documented widespread use of e…: Rights monitors including Amnesty International previously documented widespread use of excessive force, unlawful surveillance, and intimidation by Serbian authorities.
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Ten suspects are accused of abusing and torturing several people in the garage of a government compound in Belgrade.
Nine active Serbian police officers and one former officer have been arrested over accusations of using excessive force against students last year during protests that culminated in October’s electoral defeat of former President Aleksandar Vucic.
The Serbian Ministry of Interior announced Wednesday’s arrests, alleging that the suspects abused and tortured several people in the garage of a government compound in Belgrade in August 2025.
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In a statement, the ministry said the suspects were on duty when they “used force and threats to inflict severe pain and suffering on several injured people, in order to obtain information, intimidate and unlawfully punish them”.
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