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First we heard nothing, but then we heard the screaming and the beating. Then they took me outside.

Date & Time 2019-08-04
Location Border-area between Buhača and Zagrad
Reported by Border Violence Monitoring Network
Coordinates 45.1875, 15.7805
Pushback from Croatia
Pushback to Bosnia
Taken to a police station no
Minors involved no
WLTI* involved no
Men involved yes
Age 20 - 25
Group size 12
Countries of origin Afghanistan, Pakistan
Treatment at police station or other place of detention no translator present, denial of access to toilets, denial of food/water
Overall number of policemen and policewomen involved 12
Violence used beating (with batons/hands/other), kicking, pushing people to the ground, insulting, destruction of personal belongings, theft of personal belongings
Police involved

They started as a group of 12 people on April 4th from Bihać and they walked over the course of four days to Slovenian/Croatian border. It was very cold and rainy so they had a lot of troubles walking. When they reached the Kupa-River, they realized, that the water is too high for them, so they sat down to make plans for crossing it. Then they were spotted by four Croatian police officers in a car, who were apparently patrolling the border area. The police car stopped next to them and the officers said: “Sit down, Motherfuckers!” Then they phoned other police officers and after some time a small transportation van came towards them. Without asking them or giving them anything, they took pictures of everyone and forced the group in the van and started driving. None of the police officers gave them any documents to sign or took any fingerprints or offered medical treatment or food. No one of the group had the chance to ask for asylum. Instead they insulted them a lot with terms like “Jebem Te Gulpa” (Fuck your dumbass), “Jebem te Familiy/Sistra” (Fuck your Family/Sister), “Jabi ga” (fuck off), “Marsh!” (Go!). They deported them directly to the Croatian/Bosnian border within 2 hours.

When the van stopped at the border they opened the back door.

“First they took my friend. They said: “One by one, fuckers!” They brought him outside and closed the door behind him and we were listening, if he gets beaten. First we heard nothing, but then we heard the screaming and the beating. Then they took me outside. There were 5 policemen in front of me with balaclavas, sticks in their hands and guns on their waist. First they took my sleeping bag and threw it aside. They searched my whole body, took my phone and money and put it in their pockets. When I started to go towards the border, one policemen kicked me in the back, so I fell down on the ground. The 5 police officers circled me and started to beat me with sticks and hands and kick me with their feet from every direction, in my face, on the head, on my whole body. After some time I could run away.”

Like this everyone of the 12 persons was beaten and robbed one by one. The sleeping bags were put on a pile and some police officers burned them.

Three of the policemen were directly standing in a row in front of the border. 1 police officer stood on the Bosnian side of the border and was watching the other side, probably making sure that no one sees the beating. 2 police officers were standing next to the backdoor of the van, to search the people and take their stuff. Also other policemen were standing around the car, so in total there were 10-12.

After that the group of 12 persons had to walk about 1 hour to Velika Kladuša.