The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has requested that the Republic of Serbia submit respond to questions regarding allegations of the use of sonic weapons during the protest in Belgrade on March 15, 2025. The Court has set a deadline of March 31, 2025, for Serbia to clarify whether prohibited means were used against demonstrators, the legal basis for the alleged deployment of such devices, and the safeguards in place to prevent arbitrary use of force. Serbia’s response must be submitted by the prescribed deadline of Monday, March 31, 2025.
On behalf of 47 citizens of Serbia and in light of events that disrupted a 15-minute commemoration for the victims of the tragedy at the Novi Sad railway station, several civil society organizations—namely, the Belgrade Centre for Human Rights, CRTA, FemPlatz, Civic Initiatives, the A11 Initiative for Economic and Social Rights, and the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights (YUCOM)—have lodged an application with the European Court of Human Rights.
In their request for interim measures under Rule 39 of the Rules of Court, the applicant organizations submitted evidence indicating that the peaceful observance of a 15-minute silence in memory of those who died following the collapse of the canopy at Novi Sad Railway Station was violently interrupted by the deployment of an unidentified and hazardous sonic or similar device. This intervention allegedly resulted in physical injuries, severe distress, panic, and a stampede among those assembled. The applicant organizations further noted that more than 4,000 citizens contacted them with firsthand accounts, reporting various health issues, physical injuries, and psychological symptoms.
It is recalled that senior officials and institutional representatives of the Republic of Serbia initially denied that the state possessed any form of sonic weaponry. However, following significant public pressure, it was disclosed that the Ministry of Internal Affairs has at least 16 LARD devices in its arsenal. The use of such devices is unlawful under Serbian law, and their procurement was not carried out in compliance with applicable legal regulations.
The European Court of Human Rights has also instructed the applicants to submit, by March 31, 2025, additional information, particularly concerning the health conditions and the physical and psychological effects suffered by individuals exposed to the sonic or similar device during the peaceful protest in Belgrade on March 15, 2025.
Our organizations remain committed to supporting citizens in establishing the facts surrounding the events of March 15, while safeguarding their rights and interests in proceedings before both international and domestic institutions.
