Student Andrej Tanko found guilty of obstructing an officer

The Basic Court in Pancevo found student Andrej Tanko guilty of obstructing an officer in the performance of their duties, handing down a six-month suspended house arrest sentence.

The sentence will not be carried out provided that he does not commit another offense within the next two years. The three months Tanko has already spent in custody will be credited toward his sentence.

Defense attorney Srdjan Mikovic maintained that the prosecution failed to prove Tanko committed the crime and had called for an acquittal. He also noted that there appeared to be immense pressure on the judicial authorities involved in the case.

Another member of the defense team, attorney Jelena Pavlovic, said that the state had used disproportionate force from the very beginning of the process, describing the trial as rigged and absurd.

The defense has confirmed they intend to appeal the verdict.

Tanko was charged with “spraying police with a liquid of unknown origin” during a protest on August 13, 2025.

According to a statement from the Internal Affairs Ministry (MUP), he is suspected of spraying an “intense-smelling liquid” at officers in a police cordon during the Pancevo protest.