United Nations human rights experts have urged Serbian authorities to halt an ¡°intensifying crackdown¡± on students, academics and other demonstrators, nine months after a deadly railway station collapse sparked mass protests across the country.

The failure of a concrete canopy at the Novi Sad railway station on 1 November, which has now killed 16 people after a teenager died of their injuries in March, prompted widespread student-led protests, with some students occupying university faculties and blocking roads to demand government accountability and transparency.

On?4 August,? that six UN special rapporteurs and one independent expert had observed a ¡°troubling pattern of repression¡± in the government¡¯s response to the protests, stating, ¡°Peaceful demonstrators have reportedly faced intimidation, physical attacks, surveillance, and arrests, often without legal justification.¡±

¡°Students and university officials have allegedly been targeted in coordinated smear campaigns, with state-aligned media publishing hundreds of defamatory articles, and labelling demonstrators as 'terrorists¡¯, a term also used by government representatives,¡± the UN press release continued.

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Describing an ¡°escalation in policing of peaceful, student-led protests¡± since late June, the UN office said ¡°authorities have responded with excessive force, arbitrary arrests, and prolonged detentions¡±, noting ¡°reports of unlawful surveillance, serious injuries, and the deployment of unidentified or plainclothes officers¡±.

¡°What we are witnessing in Serbia is a systematic attempt to silence critical voices and dismantle the independence of academic institutions,¡± the UN experts said. ¡°This is not just a student protest ¨C it is a test of human rights accountability and democratic resilience.¡±

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¡°Instead of listening [to] young people¡¯s voices, the Government has chosen to punish them,¡± the experts added. ¡°This approach not only violates international human rights standards, but also, by its very nature, undermines the very foundation of a democratic society.¡±

51³Ô¹Ï has contacted the Serbian embassy in the UK for comment.

The experts also discussed government pressure exerted on educational institutions, an issue the board of the European University Association . The ¡°withholding of state funding for operational costs¡± as well as ¡°the recent introduction of a new regulation restricting the amount of time academic staff at institutions can spend on research activities¡± have resulted in ¡°a reduction in professors¡¯ salaries, first to 50 per cent in February 2025 and subsequently to 12.5 per cent since April¡± ¨C ¡°clearly an unsustainable situation¡±, the EUA board said.

Speaking to 51³Ô¹Ï, EUA secretary general Amanda Crowfoot said the new regulation ¡°will negatively impact both the quantity and quality of research outputs¡±, and will ¡°reduce Serbian universities¡¯ capacity to participate actively in international projects, and to apply for funding¡±. She added, ¡°As well as meaning that some essential research might not be carried out, it can jeopardise partnerships and lead to long-term reputational damage.¡±

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¡°We sincerely hope that disruption to students¡¯ education can be minimised, and that both current and future cohorts of students are able to learn and to graduate without limitations,¡± Crowfoot said. ¡°The EUA board calls for constructive dialogue between all parties concerned, to ensure that this happens.¡±

emily.dixon@timeshighereducation.com