The United Nations (UN) Human Rights Office has urged for peace ahead of a protest scheduled for tomorrow in Belgrade and has requested the Serbian authorities to ensure that the demonstration can proceed without unnecessary disruption.

“In light of the increasing tensions in Serbia and the upcoming large student-led protest in Belgrade, we advocate for calm and for the demonstrations to remain peaceful. We urge the authorities to permit the protests to occur without unwarranted interference,” stated Jeremy Lawrence, spokesperson for the UN Human Rights Office in Geneva.

The UN Human Rights Office reminds Serbia of its responsibilities under international law to safeguard human rights and to uphold the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and freedom of expression.

“We also call for the protection of human rights defenders, journalists, and civil society members, reiterating that the authorities must allow them to perform their work freely and securely,” the statement concluded.

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