Marija Vasić, Lado Jovovic i Lazar Dinić they were released from house arrest a few days ago and are now free to defend themselves. The High Court in Novi Sad canceled the measures prohibiting them from leaving the apartment and electronic surveillance.
This court previously ordered them detention up to 30 days, which was later extended to another 30 days, and they have been under house arrest since May, which was last extended until November 20 of this year.
Srđan Đurić, Mladen Cvijetić and Davor Stefanović are still under house arrest.
In absentia, the court also ordered the detention of the tapped students and activists who are not in Serbia, and a warrant was issued for them.
Activists are charged with the criminal offense of preparing an act against the constitutional system and security of Serbia, in connection with calling for a violent change of the constitutional system, based on, as their defenders claim, illegally wiretapped conversations.
Activists of the Movement of Free Citizens and STAV were in custody for almost two months, after an audio recording of a meeting in the premises of the PSG in Novi Sad appeared in the pro-government media, where they allegedly planned to break into the Serbian Parliament and Radio Television of Serbia during the student protest on March 15 in Belgrade.
Empathy and solidarity were awakened in the people
Lado Jovović from the Movement of Free Citizens spent two months in prison and another five months under house arrest.
"Those two months in prison, one kind of gets used to it, at least that was the case with me. I was in shock after the first rejection of the appeal," Jovović told N1.
He says that very little from the outside world reached him. He was hardly aware of the protests in support of him and the other prisoners in front of the court, because only the regime's television channels are broadcast in the prison. Only when he came out did he see the extent to which RTS does not convey the truth.
Photo: N1Lado Jovovic
Lado Jovović says that his detention deprived him of the opportunity to work:
"I didn't renew the contract with one company I was working with. I'm an entrepreneur, and I couldn't do these smaller jobs that I contracted, we were left without income."
He says to those who are afraid to join the protests - empathy and solidarity have been awakened in the people.
"You can stand aside and hope that this won't happen to you. As far as I can see, it's many times more terrible now, people are being arrested for trivial things," says Jovović.
But if everyone stands by, nothing will change for the better.
If detention is the price - we will pay
The student of the Faculty of Philosophy, Lazar Dinić, was released from house arrest, and a day later he came to Novi Sad for consultations for his graduation thesis.
He was shocked when he heard the news that he would be released from house arrest, because he did not expect it to happen that day.
"When they took off my leg, we first let go Rage Against the Machine and the song Freedom. For me, that was the moment I was waiting for to happen," says Dinić for N1.
photo: private archiveStudent Lazar Dinic
Speaking about the time he spent under house arrest, from the end of May until October 15, he says that it was difficult.
"If that's the price we had to pay for the sake of this entire fight, then that's fine and we've pushed it as far as it should be pushed. Each of us is aware, or should be aware, that it's possible for things like this to happen," said Dinić, then added.
"At that moment, I thought - if we got this far, and if we gave up now, it would be like throwing everything in the water, which has been the case so far."
Inhumane conditions in detention
Professor Marija Vasić, who was released from house arrest in which she was held for six months after 66 days of detention, said that the conditions in detention in Serbia are worse than when serving a prison sentence, which is about "Time" has already written.
Photo: Private archive"Terrorist": Sociology professor Marija Vasić, one of the six detainees
"You have to get up from your chair or bed when someone comes in, if they are taking you out of the cell you have to walk on the left side, if someone comes by turn your head towards the wall, don't address anyone and don't ask anyone anything," she told N1.
She stated that she is most looking forward to seeing her students soon, but also that she does not know if she still has a job and that their struggle continues.
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