In brief

• Serbian authorities detained nine police suspects, eight serving and one former officer, over alleged torture of anti-government protesters.
• The alleged abuse took place in a Belgrade government building garage on the night of 14–15 August 2025.
• Among those held is the commander of Serbia's special anti-terrorist unit, Igor Zmirič, according to public broadcaster RTS.

Arrests follow August 2025 protests

Serbian authorities detained nine suspects on Wednesday, 4 November, in Belgrade. Eight were serving police officers and one had already left the force, the interior ministry said (У Сербіі затрымалі дзевяць паліцэйскіх за гвалт над пратэстоўцамі – Nasza Niwa) (В Сербии задерживают силовиков – Charter 97) (У Сербії заарештували поліцейських, причетних до насильства на протестах минулого року – Європейська правда). The ministry published only the suspects' initials and years of birth (В Сербии задержали девять полицейских по обвинению в пытках протестующих – Meduza).

Alleged abuse in a government garage

According to investigators, the officers used physical force and threats on the night of 14–15 August 2025 against participants in student-led protests. The alleged abuse took place in a garage inside a government building in the capital. Investigators say the aim was to obtain information, frighten the protesters and punish them unlawfully.

Commander among those held

Public broadcaster RTS reported that among those detained is Igor Zmirič, commander of Serbia's special anti-terrorist unit SAJ. Student activist Nikolina Sinđelić, who was herself detained during the August protests, has accused Zmirič of kicking her while she lay on the floor of the garage.

Wider context

The arrests come after a wave of anti-corruption protests that began after a concrete canopy collapsed at a renovated railway station in Novi Sad on 1 November 2024, killing 16 people (Serbia detains police officers over alleged use of force against protesters – The Guardian). The unrest led to a snap parliamentary election on 25 October, which the Student List won against the party loyal to former president Aleksandar Vučić. Earlier in November, police also detained Marko Kričak, a former commander of a special police unit linked to the crackdown on protests, in a separate murder investigation.