Sonic weapon attack

One year after an acoustic weapon was deployed against protesters at the March 15, 2025 silent vigil in Belgrade - the largest protest in Serbian history - the case remains unresolved. An independent investigation by Earshot concluded with high probability that protesters were exposed to a targeted attack using a directional acoustic weapon, contradicting the only official analysis - conducted by Russia's FSB and presented by Serbia's Security Intelligence Agency - which denied any use of such devices. The First Basic Public Prosecutor's Office has collected statements from around 170 citizens but has yet to carry out a legal qualification of the act. The European Court of Human Rights granted an interim measure ordering Serbia to prevent any use of sound devices for crowd control, while numerous international bodies - including six UN Special Rapporteurs and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights - have called for an independent investigation.

The European Court of Human Rights issued an interim measure ordering the Republic of Serbia to refrain, until further notice, from using sonic devices for crowd control purposes. This decision followed a request submitted on behalf of 47 citizens by civil society organizations after the events at the March 15 protest. The European Court of Human Rights emphasized that the decision does not imply any position on whether such weapons were used on 15 March 2025, and does not prejudge the outcome of any application that the petitioners may submit.

In April 2025, six UN Special Rapporteurs addressed a formal communication to the Government of Serbia concerning alleged violence, repression, and stigmatization of peaceful protesters during demonstrations on 15 March 2025 in Belgrade and across Serbia since late 2024. The communication focused in particular on allegations that an acoustic or sonic device was used to disperse a peaceful assembly during a silent vigil honoring victims of the Novi Sad railway station collapse, causing physical and psychological harm. The Rapporteurs also raised concerns about arrests, intimidation, denial of medical care, and stigmatizing rhetoric by senior officials, warning that such practices may have a chilling effect on dissent. The communication requested detailed information from Serbian authorities on protest management, investigations into alleged abuses, and measures to ensure accountability and non-repetition.