Russian anti-war activists stage protest in Serbia

(30 Jul 2023)
RESTRICTION SUMMARY:
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Belgrade - 30 July 2023
1. Various of activists holding banners
2. Activist holding banner reading (Serbian): “We came to live in peace”
3. Activists holding banners
4. Various of activists holding banner reading (Serbian): “I love Serbia and I want safe and happy life here”
5. Various of Russian anti-war activist Peter Nikitin at protest
6. Various of Nikitin and Russian anti-war activist Vladimir Volokhonski at protest
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Peter Nikitin, Russian anti-war activist:
”We are here today to protest against the pressure on Russian anti-war activists we are experiencing here in Serbia recently. Firstly, they tried to show me the door, when they stopped me at the airport and told me I am not allowed to the country, where I live for many years. Now, they are trying to show the door to our co-founder, co-founder of our Russian Democratic Society, Vladimir Volokhonski. And we have no idea what’s next. The apparent excuse is threat to national security. None of us understand how anything we do can possibly threat national security of Serbia. And we are here to draw Serbia’s and world’s attention to this issue.”
8. Wide of activists at protest
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Peter Nikitin, Russian anti-war activist:
”For now I am here, and so far I have been here for two weeks and nobody came to me to arrest me because I am a terrible threat to national security. We’ll see. The answer is we will have to see (what will happen). Many of our activists are on the road now, meaning, people are traveling, and you never know who might be targeted next. That is why we felt it is important to come out and draw attention to this.”
10. Activist holding banners
11. Banner reading (Serbian): “We are calling for peace”
12. Various of Volokhonski at protest
13. SOUNDBITE (English) Vladimir Volokhonski, Russian anti-war activist:
”This week I’ve got refusal on extension of my resident permit in Serbia. Now I will make an appeal for this and then I will stay here. I will wait for a decision on this appeal. So, I hope that this appeal will be good and I will get my resident permit here. But my plan B is to go to Montenegro for some time, Sarajevo, and then maybe to Germany. I don’t know.”
14. Wide of Volokhonski at the protest
15. SOUNDBITE (English) Vladimir Volokhonski, Russian anti-war activist:
”I believe (the visa refusal) is connected to our activities is Serbia, our Russian Democratic Society events here, or our activities to help Ukraine, to support our political prisoners in Russia.”
16. Wide of protest

STORYLINE:
Russian anti-war activists held a protest in Belgrade on Sunday after Serbian authorities refused to extend the residence permit of a critic of Russian President Vladimir Putin.

The Russian Democratic Society said one of its founders, Vladimir Volokhonski, had all the necessary documentation but authorities cited a security risk as the reason for their decision earlier in the week.

Earlier in July, Serbian police also temporarily banned entry to another prominent Russian anti-war activist, Peter Nikitin, who was forced to spend more than a day at Belgrade's main airport before he was allowed in.

At Sunday's demonstration, Nikitin said "we are here today to protest against the pressure on Russian anti-war activists we are experiencing here in Serbia recently."

Though it formally seeks European Union membership and has condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Serbia has maintained friendly relations with Moscow and refused to impose Western-backed sanctions over the aggression.





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