Interpol has rejected a request from Serbia to issue international arrest warrants for six political activists, ruling that the legal action against them is politically motivated. The decision prevents Serbian authorities from using international law enforcement networks to arrest and extradite the group, who fled the country following a government crackdown.
The activists, who are members of student and civil society groups including STAV and the Free Citizens Movement, were targeted by Serbian prosecutors after speaking out against the state leadership. Twelve activists were originally arrested in March 2025 ahead of major anti government protests in Belgrade, shortly after wiretapped recordings of their conversations were broadcast on television channels friendly to the regime. Six of the activists spent seven months in pre trial detention, while six others fled abroad to avoid imprisonment.
In its ruling, Interpol analyzed documentation submitted by Serbian prosecutors and concluded that the charges, which accused the group of plotting against the constitutional order, amounted to political persecution. Under its official charter, Interpol is strictly prohibited from allowing its systems to be used for political matters or state retaliation against citizens.
Defense attorneys representing the group praised the decision, noting that the largest international law enforcement agency in the world has officially recognized the case as political abuse. While local court proceedings against the activists are still ongoing in the Serbian city of Novi Sad, lawyers say the Interpol decision places strong pressure on the court to drop the charges entirely.
For the young activists living in exile, the ruling brings relief from the threat of international arrest, even though returning home remains impossible without facing trial in Serbia. They have expressed relief that international observers recognized their plight, while noting that they have still lost well over a year of their normal lives away from family and friends.
