Serbia fails to respond to UN monitor on Šešelj contempt case

The International Residual Mechanism for Criminal Tribunals (IRMCT) has reported that the Serbian Ministry of Justice has failed to respond to numerous inquiries regarding the status of a contempt-of-court case against Vojislav Šešelj and four associates.

In her 12th monitoring report, observer Dagmara Albrecht stated that she has not received any updates since her previous report, despite multiple follow-up requests sent in September 2026. The case, which was transferred to Serbian judicial authorities in March 2024, involves allegations that Šešelj and members Miljan Damjanović, Miroljub Ignjatović, Ljiljana Mihajlović, and Ognjen Mihajlović interfered with the administration of justice by disclosing confidential information and violating witness protection orders.

The case stems from Šešelj’s 2018 conviction by the Hague tribunal for inciting crimes against the Croatian population in Vojvodina. The matter currently awaits a preliminary opinion from the Serbian Ministry of Justice to determine if the legal prerequisites for proceeding are met without compromising national sovereignty.