Serbia detains police officers over alleged use of force against protesters

Key Points:

• Serbian authorities detained nine active police officers and one former officer for allegedly using excessive force against detainees during anti-corruption protests in Belgrade in August 2025.
• The protests followed a deadly collapse at Novi Sad railway station in November 2024, which killed 16 people and led to widespread demonstrations against the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS).
• The anti-corruption protests contributed to the ouster of the SNS in a snap parliamentary election held on 25 October 2026, with the Student List emerging as the new political force.
• The detained officers, part of an elite unit, are accused of torturing and intimidating detainees in a government compound garage, using force and threats to extract information and unlawfully punish them.
• The arrests mark the first significant action related to violence against protesters, who had reported excessive police force including teargas and stun grenades, amid broader accusations of political violence and corruption against former president Aleksandar Vučić and the SNS.