Serbian authorities have arrested nine police officers on suspicion of abusing and torturing people detained during the student-led protests that have shaken the country. The arrests come only days after a movement born on those same streets won the national election.
What the Interior Ministry says
In a statement, the Interior Ministry said eight serving officers and one former officer were taken into custody on Wednesday. They are suspected of using force and threats to inflict severe pain and suffering on several injured people while on duty in August 2025. According to the ministry, the aim was to obtain information, to intimidate the victims and to punish them unlawfully.
The alleged incident took place in a garage inside a government building in Belgrade. The ministry identified the suspects only by their initials and years of birth, in line with usual practice before any charges are tested in court.
A prominent name in the case
Serbian state broadcaster RTS reported that Igor Zmiric, commander of the country’s special anti-terrorist unit, is among those detained. The ministry itself has not confirmed that identification.
His name has been linked to the case before. Student activist Nikolina Sindjelic, who was detained during the August demonstrations, previously accused Zmiric of kicking her while she lay on the floor of the garage. As with all suspects, the officers are presumed innocent unless a court finds otherwise, and it remains unclear what formal charges they may face.
A political backdrop that has changed overnight
The timing is striking. At the end of last month, a student-led movement won Serbia’s parliamentary elections, defeating long-standing leader Aleksandar Vučić. The Student List, which grew out of months of street protests, has rapidly become the country’s most important political force.
The protests began in 2024 after a deadly disaster at a recently renovated railway station in November of that year. The tragedy triggered widespread demonstrations and sharp scrutiny of government accountability and corruption. Over the following months, student groups repeatedly accused police of brutality in their response to the rallies. Those allegations are now the subject of criminal action.
Why the arrests matter
For many protesters, the question has never been only about one night in one garage. It has been about whether state security forces can be held to account when allegations of violence arise. The arrest of a senior figure from an elite unit, if confirmed, would signal that investigators are willing to look beyond rank-and-file officers.
It is too early to say what the arrests mean for the relationship between the incoming political leadership and the police. The speed of the action after the election will inevitably invite questions about its timing and motives. Supporters of the protest movement are likely to see it as long-awaited accountability. Others may ask how evenly justice will be applied once the political tide has turned.
The European dimension
The development also lands as Brussels sharpens its scrutiny of candidate countries. On Wednesday, the European Commission published its annual scorecards for states seeking EU membership. Serbia, alongside Georgia and Turkey, is under increased scrutiny as the Commission pays closer attention to how closely candidates align with the bloc’s foreign and security policy.
Rule of law and the conduct of security forces have long featured in the EU’s assessment of Serbia’s progress. How the authorities handle this case, including whether proceedings are transparent and independent, is likely to be watched closely in European capitals.
What happens next
The suspects now face a judicial process in which prosecutors will have to set out the evidence behind the allegations of abuse and torture. Further arrests or the naming of additional suspects cannot be ruled out, though none has been announced.
For Serbia’s student movement, which turned grief over a railway disaster into the country’s most potent political force, the arrests mark an early test. Winning an election was the first step. Delivering accountability from the institutions it now seeks to reshape may prove far harder.
1 comment
[…] Serbia Arrests Nine Police Officers Over Alleged Abuse… […]