The investigative outlet BIRN reported today, referencing an organization focused on refugee rights, that in November 2023, Serbian police employed a “weapon-like device to generate sound” during the forceful removal of refugees from an abandoned building where they were residing in the outskirts of Sombor.

The organization’s communication, as cited by BIRN, states that on November 7, 2023, around 35 refugees tried to flee from the police through the fields near the derelict house, but it appeared that law enforcement was also positioned in the fields to capture them.

“Amid the chaos, a loud, piercing sound—higher in pitch than a gunshot—was produced by a device resembling a weapon that was operated by one of the police officers in the field behind the (refugees’) dwelling. It is presumed this was utilized to hasten the capture of those who had escaped,” the statement noted.

BIRN mentions that this observation aligns with a brief statement included in a report by the “Border Violence Monitoring Group,” a coalition of organizations advocating for the rights of refugees and migrants, published in November 2024. The report states that Serbian police used “a weapon-like device to generate sound” during the forced eviction of refugees from the facility where they were residing.

“Furthermore, Collective Aid staff observed the usage of a ‘weapon-like device that emits sound waves’ to ‘create noise and intimidate individuals during the eviction,'” the report added, identifying it as an LRAD device.

In November 2023, Serbian police executed one of the most extensive operations in recent times against armed smuggling rings linked to Afghanistan, Morocco, and Syria, according to BIRN. During these operations, human rights advocates raised concerns about abuses towards regular refugees, who are not involved in criminal activities.

The extensive police operation, which persisted for several months, included regular police officers, intervention forces, gendarmerie, and the Special Anti-Terrorist Unit (SAJ).

News