Serbien
Several hundred judges, prosecutors, lawyers, and other judiciary employees gathered in downtown Belgrade to protest against recently passed judicial laws that they claim threaten the independence of the judiciary and the autonomy of the prosecution.
The "March for Justice" protest was organized by the Union of Judicial Authorities, the Association of Prosecutors of Serbia, the Defense of the Profession, and the Center for Judicial Research (CEPRIS), with support from the bar associations of Serbia and Belgrade.
The protest began symbolically in front of the former General Staff complex, a site damaged during the 1999 NATO bombing and currently at the center of a scandal involving Minister of Culture Nikola Selakovic and other state officials.
Participants expressed concerns that the recent amendments to judicial laws, known as the "Mrdic laws," undermine judicial independence and could lead to increased political influence over the judiciary. The amendments were passed without public debate, prompting criticism from legal experts and international bodies.
The protest highlights the ongoing tension between the Serbian government and judicial professionals over the direction of legal reforms and the importance of maintaining an independent judiciary in the country.
