Civic Initiatives warns of dangerous proposal to amend criminal code: Every road blockade to be a criminal offense

“This move is not about protecting public safety, it is a clear message to citizens that any attempt at rebellion or resistance will be punished with imprisonment,” said the association, which focuses on democracy and civic education.

It explained that the draft amendments to the Criminal Code, open for public discussion until October 1, include changes to Article 290, which previously imposed criminal liability if “setting up obstacles on roads or stopping transport vehicles in rail traffic contrary to regulations endangers public transport” in a way that “puts people’s lives, bodies, or significant property at risk.”

The association said the proposed changes scrap this condition, introducing a prison sentence of up to one year for anyone who “sets up obstacles on roads or stops transport vehicles contrary to regulations.” This means any protest-related blockade of any road could be treated as a criminal act—even if it poses no real danger,” cautioned Civic Initiatives.

The association described this as a serious and dangerous precedent: the government is creating a legal basis to crack down on students and citizens who have been peacefully protesting for almost a year. These protests, often involving road blockades, have become a symbol of the fight for accountability and justice following the November 1, 2024 collapse of a canopy at Novi Sad Train Station that killed 16 people.

Civic Initiatives emphasized that criminalizing blockades is not only political retaliation but also a grave violation of the Serbian Constitution, which guarantees freedom of assembly under Article 54, as well as the European Convention on Human Rights, whose Article 11 protects the right to peaceful assembly.

The association is calling on the Ministry of Justice to withdraw the proposed amendments. Serbia must not become a country where the right to protest is outlawed.

“Citizens peacefully protesting in the streets and demanding justice are not criminals – it is criminal to use laws to silence the voice of the people,” Civic Initiatives said.