Discourages Use of Sonic Weapons in Protests for Serbia by European Court of Justice
In a fresh twist, the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has stepped in following claims of sonic weapon use during a mass protest in Belgrade. This comes after 4,000 protesters suspectively felt the impact of such devices, resulting in symptoms ranging from panic to physical injuries.
The ECHR, in a recent statement, has restricted the use of any sonic devices or similar contraptions for crowd control purposes in Serbia, but without explicitly confirming their use on March 15, 2025. However, the court's decision doesn't dictate a stance on whether such weapons were indeed deployed by the Serbian authorities during the demonstration.
Interestingly, the Serbian government has issued contradictory statements on the matter. Initially, they denied owning sonic devices, but later admitted to possessing them. President Aleksandar Vučić pointed to a Russian FSB investigation claiming no evidence of their use, although the protesters maintain their dispute. Photos have surfaced of police vehicles equipped with LRAD 450XL devices, which Interior Minister Ivica Dačić confirmed were part of Serbia's arsenal, though he alleges they were not utilized on March 15.
Notably, both the FBI and FSB have been invited by the Serbian government to probe the matter, with only the FSB making official comments so far. Domestic legal proceedings related to this issue are yet to reach conclusions.
The LRAD devices, capable of emitting sound up to 160 dB (potentially causing permanent hearing damage), raise concerns due to the unclear domestic legal framework governing their use. The lack of specific laws in this regard necessitates urgent clarification from Serbian legislators to avoid further ambiguity in crowd control protocols.
- The perceptible symptoms experienced by the protesters in Serbia, such as panic and physical injuries, have added a significant touch to the general news discourse, particularly in relation to war-and-conflicts and crime-and-justice.
- The European Court of Human Rights, in response to claims of sonic weapon use during the Belgrade mass protest, has taken a firm stance against using any sonic devices or similar contraptions for crowd control purposes in the Serbian world.
- The Serbian government's contradictory statements regarding the use of sonic devices during the protest have been met with skepticism by the protesters, as evidence such as photos of police vehicles equipped with LRAD 450XL devices continues to surface.
- The sympas spreading across the world following the mass protest in Serbia have prompted calls for clarification, as the LRAD devices, capable of causing permanent hearing damage, remain a contentious issue due to the unclear domestic legal framework governing their use.
- The implications of the case extend beyond the Serbian borders, as other countries watch politics play out, with the involvement of international entities like the FBI and FSB, offering a window into the complexities of crime-and-justice and the role of technology in war-and-conflicts.
