Human Rights Activists Report a Series of Attacks on LGBT People in Serbia

In 2026, a series of attacks and threats against queer people was recorded in Serbia, according to local human rights organizations. As noted by BBC News Serbian , despite the country’s status as an EU candidate, the level of discrimination remains high, and most incidents are never brought to court.

Recent cases include a knife attack on a drag performer in a Belgrade city bus, the use of tear gas in the capital’s queer club Mornar, and the beating of a transgender woman and her partner in the Novi Beograd area. Additionally, in the summer of 2026, there were reports of threats against participants of regional pride caravans. In the city of Pirot, the event was canceled by police due to protests by conservative activists.

According to the human rights organization Da se zna!, 110 hate incidents were registered in Serbia last year, including 20 physical attacks, though the actual numbers may be higher. The Commissioner for Protection of Equality, Milan Antonijević, confirmed that victims often do not report to law enforcement due to a lack of trust in the police and fear of social stigma. The issue of safety remains central for Serbia’s LGBT community even 25 years after the first attempt to hold a pride parade in Belgrade.