Novi Sad activists charged with overthrowing the constitutional order

Category: Persecution

Period: from 12 Mar 2025

Outcome: No one investigated (as of 2 Nov 2026)

On the evening of 13 March 2025, two days before a major protest in Belgrade, five pro-government television stations broadcast a secret BIA recording of a meeting between members of the Free Citizens Movement and the student group STAV in Novi Sad. The recording was presented as a plan to storm RTS and the National Assembly, and it aired a day before it was handed to the prosecution. Six of those arrested spent more than seven months in jail and under house arrest, and a warrant was issued for six students abroad. In decisions dated 27 September 2026, President Aleksandar Vučić freed all twelve from criminal prosecution, even though they had asked to stand trial. Their guilt has not been established.

A recording on five TV stations

On the evening of 13 March 2025, two days before a major protest in Belgrade, five pro-government television stations (Pink, Informer, Prva, Studio B and Happy) jointly broadcast a secret audio recording of a meeting between members of the Novi Sad branch of the Free Citizens Movement (PSG) and the student group STAV, held on 12 March at the PSG's offices. The recording was presented as a plan to storm RTS and the National Assembly.

President Aleksandar Vučić had announced in advance a broadcast with evidence of „preparations for a coup d'état“.

Arrests and warrant

On 14 March, on the orders of the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad, police arrested six people who had attended the meeting (five members of the PSG and one STAV activist) on suspicion of preparing an act against the constitutional order and security of Serbia. Six STAV students were in Croatia at the time; a warrant was issued for them, and they have remained abroad since.

BIA recording and the indictment

According to the indictment proposal, the recording came from special measures used by the Security Intelligence Agency (BIA). The television stations aired it a day before it was handed to the prosecution, and according to Insajder and Danas, the BIA had been monitoring another person, not the accused.

On 12 May 2025, the prosecution charged all twelve. The defence argues that the evidence was obtained unlawfully.

Seven months in detention

The six people arrested spent more than two months in jail and then under house arrest, more than seven months in total. Professor Marija Vasić went on a hunger and thirst strike, and Davor Stefanović was injured in custody. The European Parliament called for their release.

The trial began on 24 November 2025, but every hearing has been postponed.

The pardon they refused

On 27 September 2026, before his resignation, Vučić announced that he had pardoned, or more precisely granted pre-trial pardons to, „12 people from the Novi Sad group“, out of 49 people in total (affair „Vučić's pardons of 49 people before his resignation“). Those charged turned down the „mercy“ and demanded a trial.

The Ministry of Justice said at the time that there were no official decisions, and the judge postponed the hearing scheduled for 30 October without giving reasons and without setting a new date. On 30 October, the Public Prosecutor's Office for Organised Crime asked the ministry to urgently submit the documentation and the pardon decisions for all 49 people.

Proceedings dropped without a verdict

The Higher Court in Novi Sad said on 2 November 2026 that it had received the decisions of 27 September releasing all twelve from criminal prosecution, in proceedings the justice minister had initiated ex officio on 25 September. According to court documents seen by the Beta news agency, the court halted the proceedings the same day, and on 3 November it lifted detention and withdrew the arrest warrants for the six who are abroad. No guilt has been established.

Officials' statements about this group („terrorists“, „coup plotters“) are also recorded in the campaign against students (S09, S24, S25, S43, S48).

Prosecutor Slobodan Josimović

The indictment was filed on 12 May 2025 by the Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad, and the prosecutor handling the case is Slobodan Josimović, who also handles the canopy collapse case.

On 24 November 2025, the defence sought his recusal; the defence lawyer stated that Josimović is the injured party in a case against the brother of defendant Lado Jovović. The request was rejected, and the hearing on 2 February 2026 was postponed because Josimović was ill.

Participants

Aleksandar Vučić: Before the recording aired, he announced evidence of “preparations for a coup” against the activists, all of whom he pardoned in 2026 (responsible)
Ana Brnabić: She said in 2025 that the activists had planned terrorist actions and a civil war, and repeated it after they were pardoned (commented on the case)
Security Information Agency: According to the indictment, the recording comes from its report on special measures and reached the prosecution a day after TV stations aired it (investigation and courts)
TV Pink: On the evening of 13 March 2025, two days before a major protest, it aired, together with four other television stations, a recording of a meeting presented as a plan to storm RTS (responsible)
Informer: On the evening of 13 March 2025, two days before a major protest, it aired, together with four other television stations, a recording of a meeting presented as a plan to storm RTS (responsible)
Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Serbia: On 14 March 2025, on the orders of the prosecutor's office in Novi Sad, it arrested six people on suspicion of preparing an offence against the constitutional order (investigation and courts)
Higher Public Prosecutor's Office in Novi Sad: It ordered the arrests on 14 March 2025, and on 12 May it filed an indictment against twelve people and sought five years (investigation and courts)
Higher Court in Novi Sad: According to the defence, it did not deliver the detention order to her even after more than ten requests, so she was unable to appeal (responsible)
Court of Appeal in Novi Sad: On 20 May 2025 it replaced detention with house arrest for three of them, rejected the appeals on 1 October and lifted the measure on 15 October (investigation and courts)
Ministry of Justice of the Republic of Serbia: It first said it had neither the official decisions nor the list of the 49 people pardoned, and on 2 November 2026 it delivered to the court the pardon decisions for twelve of them (investigation and courts)
Interpol: According to a defence lawyer, it rejected Serbia's request concerning the six abroad because the offence is a „political offence“ (investigation and courts)
Zoran Pašalić: According to Marija Vasić, he aggressively pressed her in the prison hospital to end her hunger and thirst strike (responsible)
European Parliament: In a resolution of 7 May 2025, it called on the authorities to release six Novi Sad activists from detention (oversight and the public)
Civil Rights Defenders: On 16 May 2025 it called for the immediate release of the six detained and the withdrawal of arrest warrants for the six abroad (oversight and the public)
Free Citizens Movement: The party on whose premises the meeting was recorded; it distanced itself from what was said, then defended its charged members (harmed)
Ana Oreg: MP and vice-president of the PSG; according to Danas, the BIA obtained the recording through measures directed at her (harmed)
Public Prosecutor's Office for Organised Crime: It asked the Ministry of Justice to urgently provide the documentation and decisions on the pardons of 49 people announced by Vučić (investigation and courts)
Mile Jandrić: According to the Movement for a Turnaround, as prison governor he did not inform the defence lawyer or the family of the attack on Stefanović; the lawyer only found out four days later (responsible)
Students Against Authoritarian Rule (STAV): Student group whose members were among the twelve charged; it has rejected the pardon and is demanding that they be put on trial (harmed)
Slobodan Josimović: Prosecutor handling the trial of the twelve; the defence sought his recusal over a conflict of interest, and the request was rejected (investigation and courts)