New clashes between police and protesters blocking the courthouse in Novi Sad

(Patria) - New clashes between police and protesters continued this morning, on the second day of the blockade of the judicial bodies' building in Novi Sad.

Members of the intervention police unit and gendarmerie, using pepper spray and shields, tried to push back citizens and students who were standing at the four entrances to the Novi Sad Palace of Justice, with the fiercest clashes occurring at two side entrances to the building.

Employees of the Novi Sad courts and prosecutor's offices, located in the judicial bodies' building, stood not far from the scene of the clashes between citizens and police, awaiting the outcome.

The reason for the blockade of the judicial bodies' building in Novi Sad is the extension of detention for six activists, members of the Free Citizens Movement and members of the student organization STAV, accused of attempting to overthrow the constitutional order of Serbia, who have been in custody at Klisa prison for over 60 days. They were arrested on the eve of a large student protest in Belgrade on March 15, based on a tapped conversation that was broadcast on some television channels the day before the protest and arrests.

Six activists were arrested, while the remaining six are abroad and unavailable to Serbian law enforcement agencies.

Marija Vasić, a sociology professor at the "Jovan Jovanović Zmaj" Gymnasium and a member of the Free Citizens Movement, went on a hunger and thirst strike when the court decided to extend the detention for another 30 days on Tuesday, refusing to receive an IV drip. Her condition worsened yesterday, so she was transferred to a special prison hospital in Belgrade.

Students and citizens demand the release of all those detained, stating that it is a "political process without legal basis."

During the blockade, court representatives asked the students to allow judges deciding on detention to enter the building, but the students' demand was to first allow judges deciding on the detention of Marija Vasić and the other five detained individuals to enter the building.

Given that the court panel that should decide on this has not yet been formed, the students said they would allow everyone who needs to decide on this to enter the building.

Also, Marija Vasić's husband, David Trnavac, entered the court building with his lawyer, but the outcome of this visit is unknown.

Students announce that the blockade will continue until all six detained activists are released from custody.