02:41Serbia: Pro-Ukrainian activists place bloody cake and skull outside Russian embassy in Belgrade
A group of pro-Ukrainian activists led by lawyer Cedomir Stojkovic placed a bloody cake and a skull outside the Russian embassy in Belgrade on Friday, on the first anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Around twenty activists reportedly attempted to approach the Russian embassy to deliver the cake and a letter addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin demanding he turns himself in to the International Court of Justice.
The activists were prevented from reaching the gates of the Russian embassy by over a dozen police officers.
Stojkovic claimed the actions of the police officers proved that Serbia was an 'occupied country' intent on clamping down on 'freedom of expression'.
"The order not to let us pass comes from that building over there (the Russian embassy). Directly from Bocan Harcenko, who is the commander of this police force. This proves that Serbia is an occupied country and that the police is not there to ensure democracy, respect for human rights, is not there to ensure the Constitution and freedom of expression," he said.
Elsewhere in Belgrade, hundreds of protesters gathered at Pioneer Park for the anti-war 'Peace and Solidarity March'. The event was organized by Representatives of the Embassy of Ukraine.
Serbia remains the only country in Europe to refrain from imposing sanctions against Russia, despite pressure from Brussels to do so.
02:41A group of pro-Ukrainian activists led by lawyer Cedomir Stojkovic placed a bloody cake and a skull outside the Russian embassy in Belgrade on Friday, on the first anniversary of the Russia-Ukraine conflict.
Around twenty activists reportedly attempted to approach the Russian embassy to deliver the cake and a letter addressed to Russian President Vladimir Putin demanding he turns himself in to the International Court of Justice.
The activists were prevented from reaching the gates of the Russian embassy by over a dozen police officers.
Stojkovic claimed the actions of the police officers proved that Serbia was an 'occupied country' intent on clamping down on 'freedom of expression'.
"The order not to let us pass comes from that building over there (the Russian embassy). Directly from Bocan Harcenko, who is the commander of this police force. This proves that Serbia is an occupied country and that the police is not there to ensure democracy, respect for human rights, is not there to ensure the Constitution and freedom of expression," he said.
Elsewhere in Belgrade, hundreds of protesters gathered at Pioneer Park for the anti-war 'Peace and Solidarity March'. The event was organized by Representatives of the Embassy of Ukraine.
Serbia remains the only country in Europe to refrain from imposing sanctions against Russia, despite pressure from Brussels to do so.