PES: Release Bogdan Jovičić – Solidarity with Serbian Student Protestors

PES: Release Bogdan Jovičić – Solidarity with Serbian Student Protestors

A student gives a speech as thousands of protestors gather for a march through central Belgrade on September 8, 2025, protesting alleged police brutality during anti-government protests in Serbia. The march was organized by students, triggered by a police crackdown on their demonstration in Novi Sad on September 5, 2025, which they say was excessive, as well as by the entry of officers into certain university faculties currently under blockade Andrej ISAKOVIC / AFP

We strongly condemn the ongoing crackdown on student-led protests in Serbia and the increasingly authoritarian measures taken by the government of Aleksandar Vučić. These measures are an attack to democracy and a systematic dismantling of fundamental human rights, and above all an attack to the right to freedom of expression.

We are deeply concerned by the case of student activist Bogdan Jovičić, whose life is currently at serious risk due to his detention. Following his arrest, Bogdan has been on a hunger strike for over a week. His legal representative was informed of his transfer to a hospital, while the Ministry of Interior continues to claim that he remains in custody. This contradiction, paired with the complete lack of transparent or verifiable updates on his health and whereabouts, suggests that there is an intentional effort to obscure the truth and silence concern. We demand Bogdan’s immediate release and urge that his safety and health be treated as an urgent priority.

The growing student movement is a vital force of resistance against authoritarianism. These young people are rising up against repression and demanding a Serbia where freedom, truth, and justice prevail. Their struggle is not only legitimate, but also essential for the future of democratic society in the region. We call for the protection of all detained students, including access to medical care and transparent conditions of detention.