The respondent is a 62-year-old man from Afghanistan who was pushed back from Croatia to Bosnia. He attempted to leave Bosnia for the fourth time on August 18th, with a group of 25 people, which included some families and minors. 

The respondent recalled that after six days of walking, they were apprehended by three men wearing blue uniforms. The transit group was subsequently taken to a police station, where the respondent tried to ask for asylum but said his request was denied by the officers. He added that they had asked for food and water, but this too was denied. 

The respondent described that he was feeling sick and had stomach pain, so once at the police station, he tried to sit down on the floor. Every time he tried to sit however the police officer reportedly hit him with a stick and forced him to stand up again. 

“Police kicked me, and said: ‘stand up’, and I cannot stand up, but then they just kicked me again and again”

According to the respondent, they spent a night at the police station. The next morning they were forced to get into a car and drove for an estimated two hours. When they arrived at the border with Bosnia, the respondent stated the Croatian police ordered them to leave and they crossed the border.

The respondent reported they walked for six hours until they arrived in Velika Kladuša and from there they took a bus to Bihac.

As they were walking without proper footwear and in bad conditions, the respondent had serious wounds on his heels (pictured above) at the time of testimony.