Serbia records surge in violence against LGBTQ+ community

Serbian human‑rights monitors reported that the number of documented violent incidents targeting LGBTQ+ individuals has reached an unprecedented level, according to data compiled by the National Police Directorate and several non‑governmental organizations. The latest figures, released in a joint statement on Monday, show a year‑on‑year increase of more than 30 percent, with assaults, harassment and hate‑motivated threats recorded across multiple urban centres, including Belgrade, Novi Sad and Niš. The report notes that many of the cases remain under‑reported, suggesting that the actual scale of violence may be even larger.

The surge in anti‑LGBTQ+ attacks is being interpreted by analysts as part of a broader societal shift that has also seen heightened hostility toward other marginalized groups, such as ethnic minorities and persons with disabilities. Representatives from the Serbian Equality Movement highlighted several recent incidents, including a physical assault on a gay couple in a public park and the vandalism of a community centre that hosts LGBTQ+ events. Government officials have acknowledged the trend, with the Ministry of Interior confirming that specialized units are being trained to improve response to hate crimes, while the Ministry of Human and Minority Rights pledged to review existing protection mechanisms.

International observers and local advocacy groups are calling for stronger legal safeguards and comprehensive public‑awareness campaigns to address the growing pattern of targeted violence. The latest data underscores the urgency of coordinated action among law‑enforcement agencies, civil‑society organisations and policymakers to ensure the safety and rights of Serbia’s LGBTQ+ population and other vulnerable communities.