No democracy tolerates violent protests or destabilisation attempts - Serbian mission

GENEVA - The Permanent Mission of the Republic of Serbia to the UN in Geneva said on Monday Serbia remained "firmly committed to the protection of human rights, freedom of expression and peaceful assembly, including unlawful/unregistered gatherings that go well beyond the legal boundaries of freedom of expression", but that "no democracy can tolerate violent protests, or deliberate attempts to destabilise institutions under any pretext".

The mission posted this on X in a reaction to a post by the non-governmental organisation UN Special Procedures that said Serbia "must halt crackdown on student movement, uphold human rights and academic freedom", calling on the Serbian government "to immediately cease retaliations and intimidations and ensure the safety and rights of students, educators and human rights defenders".

"Recently, Serbia has been facing serious and alarming events that go beyond democratic political conduct. Of particular concern are the increasingly grave incidents that target elected officials, advisors, police officers, and political institutions, constituting a distortion of democratic principles. While demonstrations at public institutions are legitimate, the said incidents are not expressions of dissent but are tools of coercion", the Serbian mission posted.

"Given the above, Serbia expects full recognition of its democratic framework and the complex realities on the ground before any premature conclusions are drawn," it noted.