Dozens of citizens gathered in front of the courthouse in Užice, southwestern Serbia, on Wednesday to protest the detention of seven local residents, including professors, opposition municipal councillors, lawyer Radovan Novaković, and medical student Pavle Cicvarić. The group was remanded in custody for 30 days after being charged with assaulting a public official during a highway blockade.
The Užice Basic Court said the suspects face up to five years in prison. The blockade had been part of a broader wave of civil disobedience and student-led protests against the government, demanding institutional accountability and the release of political detainees.
Human rights groups and civil society organizations condemned the arrests, calling them politically motivated. The opposition-affiliated movement ZLF described the detentions as “regime retaliation” against local activists.
Lawyers across Serbia announced a three-day suspension of work in protest, while the Bar Association of Serbia held an emergency meeting to assess further legal responses. Demonstrations are expected to continue throughout the week, with protesters accusing authorities of political persecution.
“The arrested citizens are being made an example of,” said Radovan Cicvarić, father of one of the detained, in remarks to local media. “After 48 hours in custody, they have officially become political prisoners of the 21st century.”
Meanwhile, ruling party officials defended the court’s decision, citing violations of law and threats to public order. The Užice branch of the Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) denounced the protests as an attempt to incite chaos, stating, “Those who call for unrest will be the first to abandon the people.”
Opposition leaders and activists have called for mass mobilization, with green party leader Aleksandar Jovanović Ćuta declaring, “Every free citizen should be in Užice tonight.”
The unrest comes amid a broader wave of demonstrations across Serbia, including recent incidents in Zemun where municipal authorities dismantled protester barricades. Far-right leader Vojislav Šešelj had earlier issued an ultimatum threatening to send in supporters if the protests were not dispersed.
European civil society groups have urged the EU and OSCE to investigate the legal basis of the Užice detentions and ensure respect for human rights and due process.