Demands for an Independent Inquiry into Allegations of Sonic Device Use at a Peaceful Serbian Protest
Firing Up the Inquisition: Serbia's Sonic Weapon Allegations
The air was thick with accusations in Serbia on Monday as voices rose for an impartial probe into claims that law enforcement used an illicit sonic weapon during a thundering anti-corruption rally last weekend. Authorities, however, stoically denied the charges.
Serbian human rights groups and opposition officials allege that a sonic weapon, whose operation targets temporary incapacitation using a focused beam, was activated at the protest on Saturday. Despite its prohibition in Serbia, they assertively plan to lodge charges against the culprits with both international and domestic courts.
Serbia's authoritarian leader, Aleksandar Vucic, once again on Monday dismissed the claims as a malicious fabrication intended to "ruin Serbia." He pledged to welcome the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Russia's Federal Security Service to scrutinize the allegations.
"The world needs to witness their lies," Vucic stated, referring to those who contend the sonic weapon was employed.
Serbian officials have adroitly acknowledged that police had, two years back, incorporated this crowd-control weapon into their repertoire. Yet, they remain resolute that it was nowhere near the fray on Saturday.
In an online petition, the Move-Change movement, spearheaded by opposition supporters, petitioned the United Nations, Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe for a neutral investigation "into the utilization of a sound cannon on March 15 against peaceful protesters in Belgrade."
The petition demands an examination of the medical, legal, and technical aspects of the fallout on health and human rights.
Former Serbian President Boris Tadic also pledged to seek external assistance to ascertain the truth behind the occurrences that triggered a severe infringement on public safety and potentially endangered the lives of the Serbian populace at the rally on Saturday.
A sea of people surged towards Serbia's capital on Saturday to denounce the deaths of 15 individuals at a railway station canopy collapse on November 1. Since then, almost daily demonstrations have made a dent in Vucic's tenacious grip on power, with many pointing the finger at rampant government corruption.
Footage from the rally depicts people standing during a 15-minute silence in tribute to the rail station victims when a sudden piercing sound triggers a ripple of panic and a brief exodus. An Associated Press photographer at the scene described the ensuing scene as people scrambling for cover, emptying the downtown thoroughfare as they stumbled over each other.
Those exposed to the sonic weapon complain of sharp ear pain, disorientation, and panic. Prolonged contact could result in eardrum ruptures and permanent hearing damage.
Many who attest to being at the epicenter of the alleged attack complain on social media about intensifying headaches, nausea, and confusion.
Security experts have suggested that a US-made Long Range Acoustic Device (LRAD), a specialized sound-emitting tool capable of delivering high-frequency sound waves over extended distances, was leveraged at the protest. However, these notions cannot be independently verified.
Vucic, who believes the student-led protests serve as part of a Western conspiracy to purge him from power, has threatened that those who disseminate false information would face judicial condemnation.
Notes:
- Serbian officials invited the FBI and Russia's FSB to investigate the allegations (Source: Serbian President’s official statement)
- The prosecution launched an investigation but has not provided an alternative explanation for the disturbance (Source: Serbian police statement)
- International experts are skeptical of the use of an LRAD or even suggest a Vortex Ring Gun could have been employed, though this remains speculative (Sources: Expert interviews)
- The manufacturer of LRADs, Genasys Inc., stated that available evidence does not support the use of an LRAD during the incident (Source: Genasys Inc. statement)
- In response to the allegations, Serbia's authoritarian leader, Aleksandar Vucic, has invited the US Federal Bureau of Investigation and Russia's Federal Security Service to scrutinize the claims that a sonic weapon was used during a protest in Belgrade.
- Despite Serbian officials acknowledging that police had incorporated a crowd-control weapon into their repertoire two years ago, they maintain that it was not used during the anti-corruption rally on Saturday.
- The Move-Change movement, led by opposition supporters, has petitioned the United Nations, Council of Europe, and the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, demanding a neutral investigation into the utilization of a sound cannon on March 15 against peaceful protesters in Belgrade, questioning its impact on health and human rights.
