Show support for anti-lithium activists under attack in Serbia

Thousands march to stop Rio Tinto

Photo: Balkan Green Energy News

Savez ekoloških organizacija Srbije (SEOSYLNM calls for support for activists under threat

Letter from European Regional Contact Person

Recent weeks have seen a new wave of protests against lithium mining in Serbia. Upon call for solidarity from Ne Damo Jadar (NDJ) and Savez Savez ekoloških organizacija Srbije (SEOS), 50 protests were held across the whole country, the biggest one taking place on 10 August in Belgrade. People marched in thousands to stop Rio Tinto’s “Jadar” project as well as other lithium exploration projects in the country, and blocked railway at two points over night, dispersed by heavily geared riot police in morning hours. 

During the protests in Belgrade, three young activists were arrested – Ivan Bjelić, Jevđenije Dimitrijević and Nikola Ristić, and some hours later expressly charged by 40 or 30 days of detention for “breaching public peace and order”, extremely harsh for this type of accusation, and taken directly to prison to serve the sentence. Two days later, on Tuesday 13 Aug, after intense public pressure, their sentences have been annulled, and they were released. They will face a new trial.
Since last Sunday, a number of other activists across the country have been taken to police for “information talks,” and some had their apartments searched. They are reportedly being accused of “violent tearing down of constitutional order.” It is to be highlighted that the citizen protests were peaceful and nonviolent. This clear attempt at intimidation, persecution and silencing of democratic protests should be strongly condemned!
Researcher and activist Aleksandar Matković wrote an open letter that opposed the mine, after which he received death threats. Aleksandar was one of the co-organisers of the Jadar Declaration, together with Marš sa Drine. He is currently a fellow of Transnational Institute, and we received a request from them to spread support. TNI has published a translated version of the letter : 
Some more update. Rio Tinto’s “Jadar” project to mine lithium and borates in the valley of river Jadar in Western Serbia was revived by the Constitutional Court earlier this July by revoking the parliamentary decree from Jan 2022 which cancelled the relevant permits. The project is aggressively pushed and promoted by the authoritarian president and leadership of the ruling party through a heavy media campaign to influence the opinion, which is in majority against the mine. Just three days after the Constitutonal Court’s decision, an EU delegation led by German chancellor Olof Scholz visited Belgrade and signed a MoU about a strategic partnership in raw materials, battery, and electric vehicles.
Please join in solidarity with the movements demanding STOP to lithium and borates exploration and mining in Serbia!
Follow some of the organisations via twitter or instagram:
@nedamojadar
@znamodanedamo
@mars_sa_drine
@Earth_Thrive
Share and spread the news, in particular concerning the unjustified police persecution of the activists.

 

In solidarity,
Mirko
Yes to Life No to Mining RCP – Europe