The Serbian government’s escalating crackdown on civil society has reached alarming levels, with recent raids on rights organisations serving as a blatant act of intimidation. Amid mass anti-government protests and ongoing attacks on journalists, ARTICLE 19 stands in solidarity with independent media and rights defenders striving for accountability and the rule of law. We urge the Serbian government to halt its repression and call on the European Union to respond swiftly to this assault on civil society in a candidate country.
On 25 February, Serbian police raided the offices of four civil society organisations in Belgrade, citing an ongoing investigation into the alleged misuse of funds received from the US Agency for International Development (USAID). The move followed President Trump’s executive order to freeze USAID funding for 90 days, claiming the need to reassess whether the foreign support programmes align with the current administration’s priorities and should continue.
Nenad Stefanović, the chief of the Belgrade Higher Prosecutor’s Office, announced the launch of the investigation due to ‘suspicions previously expressed about USAID by top U.S. government officials’. He has also requested further information from the U.S. Justice Department.
The targeted organisations – Civic Initiatives, the Centre for Research, Transparency and Accountability (CRTA), the Centre for Practical Policy, and the Trag Foundation – primarily work to strengthen civil society initiatives, advocate for human and civil rights, and promote fair elections and political transparency.
CRTA reported that police spent 28 hours at their office, reviewing documents and making copies of them. According to Civic Initiatives, the officers claimed to have a search warrant from the Prosecutor’s Office but did not present one. Given the gravity of the allegations, law enforcement may continue conducting searches and seizing additional information or organisational documents in the coming days and weeks.
In addition to targeted attacks on human rights defenders, independent journalists continue to face obstruction, physical violence, and smear campaigns while reporting on public interest issues. Recently, the premises of the Independent Journalists’ Association of Vojvodina (NDNV) in Novi Sad were raided. On 26 February, a man attacked journalists covering a student protest in Inđija. In another incident on 24 February, journalists were searched during a press conference at the Novi Sad city assembly and were not allowed to leave the hall until the event ended.
The raids represent yet another attempt to exert excessive pressure on civil society in Serbia. They come amid months-long, student-led anti-government protests, which erupted after the collapse of a roof at a newly-renovated train station in Novi Sad on 1 November 2024. The disaster killed 15 people and critically injured two. Since then, people across Serbia have taken to the streets to protest corruption, lack of transparency in the government’s actions, attacks on civil society, and threats to media freedom. Law enforcement resorted to violence to curb the protests and hinder journalists from reporting.
The rapid erosion of civic space in Serbia demands a robust response from the international community. Journalists and activists need support to continue their vital work without fear. Serbia must uphold its international and EU accession commitments by protecting press freedom, strengthening civil society, and ensuring an enabling environment for rights groups and public watchdogs to thrive.