On 7 November 2020, the Lawyers’ Committee for Human Rights – YUCOM launched the first interactive Map of Attacks and Pressures Against Human Rights Defenders in Serbia. The very term human rights defender may sound unusual or archaic to some, therefore individuals engaged in the protection of rights often do not immediately identify themselves with this term. Nevertheless, the term encompasses all those who advocate for the protection and advancement of human rights: activists, journalists, lawyers, researchers, whistleblowers, citizens who speak out publicly, as well as civil society organizations. The United Nations Declaration on Human Rights Defenders affirms the right of individuals and groups to promote and protect human rights and establishes the obligation of states to
ensure their protection against violence, threats, and retaliation.¹
Following the publication of annual reports on the attacks on human rights defenders for 2020, 2021, and 2022, the preparation of further annual reports was temporarily suspended, while the Map of Incidents continued to be
regularly updated. This report provides an overview of attacks on human rights defenders in Serbia in 2025. Although the period 2023-2024 was not covered by annual reports, it was marked by a sharp increase in pressure on activists and an intensification of repressive practices, culminating in the outbreak of student protests in the second half of 2024. During this period, findings indicating a significantly deteriorating position of activists were reflected in relevant documents of international institutions, including resolutions of the European Parliament, the European Commission’s
Serbia Progress Report, the Joint Declaration of the EU–Serbia Civil Society Joint Consultative Committee, among others.