Arrest warrant for Aleksandar Radić over the "sound cannon"

Category: Persecution

Period: from 15 Mar 2025

Outcome: No one investigated (as of 26 Oct 2026)

Military analyst Aleksandar Radić was among the first to say, on N1 on 15 March 2025, that a „sound cannon“ had been used at the protest. In June 2026, police searched his apartment and questioned him. After TV Informer, by his account, aired surveillance footage that also showed his underage daughter, Radić left Serbia with his family. In July, the Interior Ministry filed a criminal complaint against him for preparing an act against the constitutional order and disclosing classified information, and the Higher Court ordered him detained and issued a warrant for his arrest. As of late October 2026, Radić remains in exile.

Sound cannon on N1

On 15 March 2025, the evening of a large protest in Belgrade, military analyst Aleksandar Radić was among the first to say on N1 television that a "sound cannon" had been used on the crowd in Kralja Milana Street. The incident itself has still not been explained; see the affair The "sound cannon" at the 15 March 2025 protest.

Search and questioning

After the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade ordered interviews in June 2026 with everyone who had publicly claimed the cannon was used, police searched Radić's apartment and office on 22 June on the orders of the Higher Court. They seized computers, USB devices and documents, and, according to his lawyer, his daughter's computers as well, and questioned him. The prosecution did not seek custody at the time.

President Vučić said on TV Informer that Radić should "explain where the sound cannon was", and Kurir described him as one of the first to have "falsely accused the state".

Surveillance footage and departure from Serbia

According to Radić, on 23 June 2026 TV Informer aired surveillance footage of him that also showed his underage daughter. Radić then left Serbia with his family.

He says the Military Security Agency and its director Đuro Jovanić are behind the persecution, out of personal animosity; no response from the agency or Jovanić has been found.

Criminal complaint, custody and arrest warrant

In July 2026, on the prosecution's orders, the Interior Ministry filed a criminal complaint against Radić for preparing an act against the constitutional order and disclosing classified information. The Higher Court ordered him detained as a flight risk and ordered a warrant issued for his arrest. His defence says he is not a fugitive and filed an appeal, which had still not been decided by late July. As of late October 2026, Radić remains in exile.

Correspondence and contacts made public

In a statement about the criminal complaint, the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade published parts of Radić's correspondence and the initials of the journalists, MPs and pilots he had been in contact with, which NUNS and ANEM condemned.

After Radić's statement on RTS's Dnevnik 2, the prosecution said on 30 October 2026 that it was establishing when, how and with whom he had made contact in order to give the statement. On 5 November the Ministry of Defence ended its cooperation with RTS on the programme "Dozvolite", saying RTS had not met its obligations. Its former head of public relations, Petar Bošković, claims the reason was a planned interview with Radić and that, as he was told, the cooperation was banned by the Military Security Agency.

Participants

Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade, Special Department for Combating Corruption: Over statements about the “sound cannon”, ordered a search and a criminal complaint, then published parts of correspondence and journalists' initials (responsible)
Higher Court in Belgrade: Ordered a search of his flat and office, ordered detention on grounds of flight risk and ordered an arrest warrant (investigation and courts)
Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia: On a court order, searched Radić's flat and office, questioned him and, on the prosecution's instructions, filed a criminal complaint (investigation and courts)
Military Security Agency (VBA): According to Radić, it is behind his summons to the Military Police and the entire case against him, as revenge for his criticism of the state of the army (responsible)
Đuro Jovanić: According to Radić, as director of the VBA he is behind the case against him, out of personal animosity over his criticism of the army (responsible)
Aleksandar Vučić: President of the Republic; commented on the search on TV Informer, and later on Radić's case (commented on the case)
Informer: According to Radić and RFE, it showed footage of him being followed, including with his underage daughter; according to his lawyer, it announced the search before the police called him (responsible)
Kurir: While the search was under way, described him as one of the first to have “falsely accused the state”, and after the complaint called him a “fugitive” (responsible)
Independent Journalists' Association of Serbia (NUNS): Warned that publishing the correspondence and initials “puts a target” on journalists and could intimidate sources (oversight and the public)
Association of Independent Electronic Media (ANEM): It condemned the publication of the correspondence and the journalists' initials, and called the statement about Radić's remarks to RTS pressure on the newsroom (oversight and the public)
Journalists' Association of Serbia: It protested against the announcement that police would establish who Radić had been in contact with over his statement to RTS's Dnevnik 2 (oversight and the public)
Ministry of Defence of the Republic of Serbia: According to its former head of public relations, it ended its cooperation with RTS on the programme "Dozvolite" over Radić's interview (responsible)
Petar Bošković: Claims the Ministry of Defence ended its cooperation with RTS on the programme "Dozvolite" over a planned interview with Radić (commented on the case)

Victims and others harmed

Aleksandar Radić