The Basic Court in Novi Sad has formally halted the trial against four activists from the ruling Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) who were accused of assaulting students in the city, as confirmed by the institution to Radio Free Europe (RFE) today.

During the hearing held on Tuesday, it was revealed that the court’s only option was to dismiss the case, following Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić’s pardon issued on July 2.

“In this case, the court has issued a decision dismissing the charges against the defendants for the offenses listed in the indictment, as the act of pardon serves as a condition that, per the law, permanently excludes criminal prosecution, effectively bringing the criminal proceedings to an end,” the Basic Court in Novi Sad informed RFE/RL.

The indictment is utilized in summary proceedings for offenses that carry penalties of a fine or imprisonment for up to eight years. In such cases, no investigation is conducted, and the prosecutor’s office submits the indictment directly to the court based on gathered evidence.

The court has directed the injured parties to pursue civil proceedings.

Activists from the SNS party, which was led by current Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić from 2012 until mid-2023, are accused of attacking students who were affixing propaganda materials near the SNS office in Novi Sad during the night of January 27-28, resulting in a broken jaw for one female student.

KS (30) from Sremski Karlovci, RD (22), BN (22), and DN (22) face charges of causing serious bodily harm and violent behavior in this incident.

The prosecution sought three years of imprisonment for two of the accused, while two others were recommended for two and a half years.

The trial for these SNS activists commenced at the end of April. Their detention was revoked in June.

No hearings took place in the last two sessions. One defendant failed to appear, and at another session, the defense requested the disqualification of the judge and all heads of the Novi Sad courts.

Following their attack on students, Prime Minister Miloš Vučević, the SNS president, and Novi Sad Mayor Milan Đurić, also from the SNS, resigned.

Four months later, Vučević declared that SNS members would block the court building until the four defendants were released.

On May 20, Aleksandar Vučić shared a message stating “Freedom to heroes” on the official Instagram account of the President of Serbia, mentioning the names of arrested SNS activists accused of attacking students.

The decision made by the Serbian President to pardon the SNS activists who assaulted students has drawn condemnation from student groups embroiled in protests, opposition parties, and university professors.

The Novi Sad Academic Plenum stated that Aleksandar Vučić “aims to incite civil unrest by pardoning the offenders and maintaining power through violence.”

For over eight months, student protests and civic demonstrations have been ongoing across Serbia, demanding accountability from the SNS government over the deaths of 16 individuals in the collapse of the main train station canopy in Novi Sad on November 1.

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