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They were punched in the face and beaten with sticks

Date & Time 2018-03-03
Location Near Horgos bordercrossing, Hungary
Reported by Rigardu
Coordinates 46.17691084, 19.97976153
Pushback from Hungary
Pushback to Serbia
Taken to a police station no
Minors involved no
WLTI* involved no
Men involved no
Age unknown
Group size #N/A
Countries of origin Pakistan
Treatment at police station or other place of detention
Overall number of policemen and policewomen involved 12
Violence used beating (with batons/hands/other), kicking, dog attacks
Police involved About 10-12 policemen with Hungarian border police uniforms and dogs (some without muzzle)

At midnight on Saturday 3rd – Sunday March 4th. 2018 several men, (mostly from Pakistan, about 20-30 years and some older), tried to transit from Subotica Serbia trough Hungary in smaller 4-5 people groups. The group containing the interviewee walked across the Serbian-Hungarian border near Horgos Serbia, through the border fences and continued walking in Hungarian territory. After a short time of walking within Hungarian territory they were stopped by Hungarian border police officers (about 10-12 men, Hungarian border police uniforms) and their dogs.

The officers ordered the dog to attack, scratch and bite some of the men and the officers proceeded to beat them with sticks and hands all over their bodies and in the head. Two of the interviewee’s who got beaten explained that they were punched in the face and beaten with sticks on their legs. The men felt extensive pain afterwards, but there were no visible injuries for evidence. The men expressed their intention to seek asylum, but the officers didn’t respond appropriately. They didn’t take any fingerprints, the men were not asked to sign any papers and no documents were given to them (no information about taking pictures). The officers searched their bodies and belongings.

Afterwards the officers locked the group in the back of a small van and made them wait there for about 5 hours. Early in the morning on Sunday 4th. the men were transported in a van for a short distance to the Serbian-Hungarian border, to a gate in the border fence on a bridge close to Horgos Serbia (probably Horgos – Röszke Border Crossing Station). The police called for Serbian police to arrive at the spot and deported the men to the Serbian side.