Law Office: Student Detained Without Legal Basis in Serbia

The Tomanovic Law Office has strongly condemned the detention of student Lazar Misic, asserting that he is being held "without any valid legal basis." In a statement released Wednesday, the firm declared that Misic's liberty has been "deprived" based on "legally and factually contrived reasons" and demanded his immediate release following the consideration of their appeal.

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deprived of his liberty without any valid legal basis, based on legally and factually contrived reasons, and must therefore be released immediately following the consideration of our appeal.

Lazar Misic, a student at the University of Belgrade’s Faculty of Agriculture, was taken into custody at Belgrade’s Nikola Tesla Airport as he returned from a trip. His family confirmed the arrest to N1. The Tomanovic office alleges that this arrest is a direct consequence of an "anti-student campaign" orchestrated by Serbia's political and state leadership. This campaign, they claim, aims to criminalize and dehumanize Serbian students by labeling them as terrorists and subversives, using Misic's arrest as a tool to convince the public of this narrative.

Protests erupted outside the Criminal Police Directorate (UKP) building, where students and citizens gathered to voice their opposition to Misic's detention. Later that evening, an official emerged from the UKP building to announce that Misic had been transferred to the Savski Venac police station. While a 48-hour detention order was reportedly issued, the inspector in charge indicated that the student was expected to be released Thursday morning.

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The anti-student campaign led by Serbia’s political and state leadership, which criminalizes and dehumanizes Serbian students by calling them terrorists and subversives, seeks to use Misic’s arrest to convince Serbian citizens that these students are attackers of the constitutional order.

From our perspective at N1 Serbia, this situation is deeply concerning and reflects a worrying trend of political pressure on dissent and student activism in Serbia. The Tomanovic office's claims of a "smear campaign" in pro-regime media, publishing identical "findings" from a supposed investigation and conducting a "trial by media," are particularly alarming. Such tactics aim to manipulate public opinion and justify arbitrary detentions. The international community often overlooks these internal political struggles, but for us in Serbia, the suppression of free expression and the targeting of students are critical issues that undermine the foundations of a democratic society. The immediate release of Lazar Misic, and a thorough investigation into the basis of his detention, are paramount.

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On command, an organized smear campaign against the student followed in pro-regime media, which published identical findings from a supposed investigation, conducted a trial by media, suggested the length of his prison sentence, and rejoiced over the arrest of a terrorist.