Belgrade prosecutors order probe into false festival incident reports

Belgrade's Higher Public Prosecutor's Office has initiated an investigation into social media claims of incidents occurring at the recent Music Week festival. The Special Department for Combating High-Tech Crime has requested the police to gather information to identify the individuals responsible for posting false content online regarding alleged disturbances at the event.

Authorities are seeking to identify the persons behind these posts to pursue legal action for potential criminal offenses, specifically inciting panic and disorder, as outlined in Article 343 of the Criminal Code. This move comes after reports circulated on social media suggesting that multiple people were injured during the festival's closing night at Usce.

However, both the Serbian Ministry of Interior and emergency medical services have refuted these claims. The Ministry of Interior informed N1 that while rumors of stabbings spread among attendees, causing panic, no actual stabbing incidents took place. Similarly, emergency services confirmed they had no interventions at the festival site related to the alleged injuries.

The investigation aims to address the spread of misinformation and hold accountable those who may have intentionally caused public alarm through false reports about the festival.