Serbia Arrests Police Officers Over Student Abuse During Protests

OPA WIRE, Nov 5 (OPA) — Serbian authorities arrested eight serving police officers and one former officer on Wednesday on suspicion of abuse and torture, according to the Interior Ministry. The suspects allegedly used force and threats to inflict severe pain and suffering on several individuals while on duty in August 2025. The ministry stated that these actions were intended to obtain information, intimidate, and unlawfully punish detainees inside a garage within a government building in Belgrade.

While officials identified the suspects only by their initials and birth years, the state broadcaster RTS reported that Igor Zmiric, commander of the special anti-terrorist unit, was among those detained. Student activist Nikolina Sindjelic, who was detained during the August protests, had publicly accused Zmiric of kicking her while she lay on the floor of the garage. Student groups have repeatedly accused law enforcement officers of brutality during the months of civil unrest.

The arrests arrive on the heels of major political upheaval in the country. 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 emerged directly from the anti-government demonstrations, quickly transformed into the nation's primary political force following the prolonged national crisis.

The demonstrations originally erupted in 2024 following a deadly disaster at a recently renovated railway station in November of that year. That tragedy triggered widespread public outrage over government accountability and corruption, laying the groundwork for the sustained student-led protests that ultimately reshaped Serbia's political landscape.