Lawyer Čedomir Stojković arrested over his posts

Category: Persecution

Period: from Nov 2025

Outcome: No one investigated (as of 18 Jul 2026)

Lawyer Čedomir Stojković, a critic of the government, was arrested in December 2025 over 17 social media posts, after he had filed a criminal complaint against President Aleksandar Vučić over his alleged links to the "Sarajevo safari"; Vučić has previously denied firing from Army of Republika Srpska positions. Over his posts and his publication of a document from a civil lawsuit with the BIA, he spent 130 days in prison and under house arrest. According to Stojković, the Court of Appeal annulled the detention orders as unlawful. He has been on trial over the posts since July 2026, and no one has been held accountable for his months in detention.

Complaint against Vučić and arrest

Čedomir Stojković, a Belgrade lawyer and critic of the government, filed a criminal complaint in November 2025 against President Aleksandar Vučić over his alleged links to the "Sarajevo safari"; Vučić has previously denied firing from Army of Republika Srpska positions.

Stojković was arrested on 29 December 2025 on the orders of the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade, which accuses him of calling for the violent overthrow of the constitutional order over 17 social media posts made between 2022 and 2025. He was released to defend himself at liberty, but his phone was confiscated and he was banned from using X and YouTube. According to Stojković, the real reason for his arrest was his complaint against Vučić.

House arrest and prison over a BIA letter

Because he kept publishing his podcast, Stojković was placed under house arrest with an ankle monitor in January 2026. The BIA sued him for damages and filed a criminal complaint against him because he had posted on X a letter, marked "strictly confidential", about the termination of a vehicle servicing contract, which he had received together with the lawsuit.

As a result, on 28 February his house arrest was replaced with detention in prison, and on 27 March he was returned to house arrest. Speaking from detention, he said that his imprisonment was endangering his health and his family's livelihood, and that being separated from his son was the hardest part.

Lawyers and annulled detention

The Bar Association of Serbia said detention was being used as a means of coercion and called for Stojković to be allowed to defend himself at liberty; the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) called the proceedings retaliation for freedom of expression.

According to Stojković's statement, the Court of Appeal in Belgrade annulled the detention orders as unlawful on 29 May 2026. In total, he spent 130 days in prison and under house arrest.

Trial over the posts

Stojković's trial over his posts began on 17 July 2026, when the ban on him speaking in public was also lifted. According to the latest report found, it was due to resume on 21 September. No one has been held accountable for the months he spent in prison and under house arrest.

Participants

Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Belgrade, Special Department for Combating Corruption: Ordered his arrest over 17 social media posts and charged him with calling for the violent overthrow of the constitutional order (responsible)
Higher Court in Belgrade: Ordered him into detention; according to Stojković, the Court of Appeal overturned the rulings on detention and the internet ban as unlawful (responsible)
Court of Appeal in Belgrade: On 29 May 2026 overturned the rulings on detention and the internet ban as unlawful (investigation and courts)
Security Information Agency: Sued him over his statements about the BIA and filed a criminal complaint because he posted on X a letter that it had itself attached to the lawsuit (responsible)
State Attorney's Office (Republic Public Attorney's Office): Represents the BIA in the damages lawsuit the agency brought against Stojković (commented on the case)
Aleksandar Vučić: Denied firing from Army of Republika Srpska positions; Stojković claims his arrest is revenge for the criminal complaint (commented on the case)
Serbian Bar Association: Said detention was being used as a means of coercion and asked that Stojković be released pending trial (oversight and the public)
International Commission of Jurists (ICJ): Said the proceedings appear to be retaliation and called for Stojković's release (oversight and the public)
Party of Freedom and Justice: Said the court placed him under house arrest after he continued to publish his podcast (oversight and the public)
Belgrade Bar Association: Did not issue a statement on the detention of its member; the president and a board member give differing accounts of how the vote went (oversight and the public)

Victims and others harmed

Čedomir Stojković