On September 13, the Ministry of Internal Affairs banned the Pride walk in Belgrade, which is part of EuroPride 2022 – a European manifestation dedicated to LGBT+ rights, which the Serbian capital was the last year’s host.

Radio Free Europe researched the topic of human rights through the prism of LGBTQ+ rights and checked what things one cannot do in Serbia if they are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. They tackled the rights from the right to freely organize a Pride protest, to the absence of legally guaranteed rights to have a family as same-sex partners.

In 2021 alone, 83 incidents motivated by hatred towards LGBT+ persons were recorded in Serbia, and of that number there were 19 cases of physical violence, according to the data of the non-governmental organization „Da se zna“.

This organization, which documents violence and discrimination motivated by homophobia and transphobia, points out that most incidents are not reported to the authorities.

The reason behind this is that the victims, as pointed out, do not trust the institutions, are afraid of the perpetrators, do not know the procedures or have not been „outed“ yet (have told their family that they are LGBTQ+).

In this episode of YouthSquad my guest is Nikola, the coordinator of Pride Info Centre in Belgrade. PIC is an open centre dedicated to the LGBT+ youth, a space provided for them to hang out, connect and most of all feel accepted, free and loved.

However, it’s not all glitters and rainbows. Pride Info Centre has been recently vandalized for the 18th time since its establishment on this address.  

Unknown perpetrators threw red paint on the window of the Pride Info Center and the Belgrade Pride logo. The incident happened in the night between May 26 and 27, and it is the 18th time that the perpetrators have not been caught and sentenced. Although there are security cameras right in front.