Spanish newspaper on the European Court's decision regarding sonic weapons: “The invisible wave” has reached Strasbourg
European Court of Human Rights issues interim measure calling on Serbia to prevent the use of "sound weapons" or similar crowd control devices, following claims that such a device was used during a major anti-government protest in Belgrade on March 15, 2025. Although the court did not confirm the use of the sound device, it issued the measure in response to complaints from 47 Serbian citizens and reports from up to 4,000 others who experienced symptoms such as fear, nausea, and hearing problems during the protest, according to Spanish newspaper El Periodico.
The sonic weapon, suspected to be a sound cannon, caused panic, anxiety, dizziness, hearing loss, and nausea, prompting many demonstrators to seek urgent medical assistance. The device was activated during 15 minutes of silence in honor of the 15 victims of the roof collapse at the Novi Sad railway station (another person has since died), which further amplified the effect of the acoustic weapon, reports the Spanish El Periodico.
“The court issued this measure because it assessed that there is an imminent danger of further use of sound devices in Serbia,” Vladica Ilić from the Human Rights Center in Belgrade told El Periodico. This organization, along with Crta, FemPlatz, YUCOM, the A11 Initiative, and Civic Initiatives, filed the request to the European Court.
Ilić explained that “if the Court had not assessed the situation as an immediate threat, it would not have issued this measure,” emphasizing that “it’s not just about what happened, but also about ensuring it never happens again.”
Although Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić and Minister of Internal Affairs Ivica Dačić denied the use of a sound cannon, claiming that Serbia does not possess such sonic weapons, Minister Dačić admitted a day later that “such weapons exist, but are not used.” He also demonstrated a device that emitted the message: “This is a test of the LRAD (Long Range Acoustic Device).”
“This order is not only aimed at preventing the Serbian government from acting, but also requires the state to take active measures to ensure such devices are not used by third parties,” Ilić explains.
The Court invited the applicants to submit a formal complaint by May 27 so that the case can proceed to the next stage, writes the Spanish newspaper.
Students call on Europe
The European Court’s response came after an initiative called “Tour to Strasbourg,” organized by students from Serbia. They cycled about 1,500 kilometers to Strasbourg to draw attention to institutional passivity following the roof collapse in Novi Sad.
Nova TV journalist Radovan Seratlić, who took part in the ride to Strasbourg, told El Periodico that “the European Court of Human Rights issued an interim measure to the Serbian authorities to prevent them from considering the use of weapons in future protests, as it is now clear that Serbia possesses such devices, even though their possession violates current laws.”
In addition to making headlines in European media, the cycling route to Strasbourg also prompted the first steps from the Council of Europe, of which Serbia is a member, it is explained.
“It is clear that this would not have happened if the students had not spent 13 days traveling through Europe, delivering messages contained in four letters addressed to European institutions and to the President of France, Emmanuel Macron,” it is stated.
Students and citizens of Serbia have been protesting for more than six months against the government, demanding accountability for the deaths of 16 people in Novi Sad. Many have blamed corruption, which they believe led to the neglect of safety regulations and carelessness during the renovation of the railway station building, the Spanish newspaper reports.
