The pushback happened on the 9th of november at day time from Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

The respondents were two men from Burundi, about 25 and 35 years old. The respondents were part of a transit group consisting of 20-30 men, women and children from the ages 6-45 years old from Burundi, Afghanistan and Côte d’Ivoire. The transit group tried to cross Croatia by foot at the border close to Glinica, to then later cross the Croatian-Slovenian border.

After having walked for several hours, they met the Croatian police in the forest near to Bijelo Vrelo. When they encountered the police, the respondents described that the police men took big sticks and small trees from the forest, and which afterwards they used to beat the transit group. „They beat mothers, children. Everywhere. Even in the face. The Croatian police doesn‘t care if you are mother or children, they don‘t care. They beat us seriously. Seriously. They beat you no matter who you are.“ The respondents also stated, that the police used teargas for a period that felt like two hours.

Afterwards, they explained that the police force took the mothers, children and fathers into the van, to bring them to the IOM run Camp “Borici” in Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The rest of the transit group was commanded to walk back to Bosnia.

At the moment of the interview, the respondents were still suffering of pain. One of them stated: „Of course we have pain. The push you, and you break down. Some of us break their legs, and some their arms.“