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I told them all the people I know live in Germany, but they told me [...] go back to Austria

Date & Time 2022-12-06
Location Salzburg, Austria
Reported by Pushback Alarm Austria
Coordinates 47.816867870555, 12.978105703125
Pushback from Germany
Pushback to Austria
Taken to a police station yes
Minors involved no
WLTI* involved no
Men involved yes
Age 24 - 25
Group size 2
Countries of origin Syria
Treatment at police station or other place of detention fingerprints taken, photos taken, personal information taken
Overall number of policemen and policewomen involved 2
Violence used no violence used
Police involved 2 x police officers in civil clothing, 1 x police van with insignia and bars in window, 1 x unmarked car

The respondent is a 25 year-old Syrian man who was apprehended, with another person-on-the-move, in the German border town of Freilassing on 5th December 2022 at approximately 10.15am.

The respondent was reportedly apprehended by officers in civil clothing who were parked in an unmarked car close to a public walkway. The respondent reported that the officers appeared to be surveilling the pedestrians. Two male officers wearing civil clothing reportedly approached the respondent and requested to see his documents. The respondent reportedly told the officers that he wanted to apply for asylum in English with the use of a translation app on his phone.The officers then reportedly called a van which had police insignia on it, bars in the windows and space for 6-8 people inside. The respondent was reportedly taken in this van to a building which he identified as a police station, along with one other person whom he was traveling with.

The respondent reported that there was a translator present at the police station and that he asked for asylum there.

“I told them all the people I know live in Germany, but they told me I had to go back to Austria because I came from Austria.”

The respondent was reportedly held for one day at the police station during which time he was interviewed by officers for one hour and was reportedly given one slice of bread and cheese for dinner and breakfast. He was reportedly given a document in German which the translator helped him to understand, which reportedly included a return order and a two year entry ban.

“The officers said I was banned to enter Germany for two years. They told me that they would refuse my request and return me to Austria.”

The respondent reported that the friend he was traveling with received the same information and reportedly “collapsed right in front of me when he heard this news.” The respondent’s friend was reportedly taken to a doctor but subsequently pushed back to Austria the following day at approximately 4pm, along with the respondent. The two men were reportedly driven by officers across the border to a police station in Salzburg, where they reportedly had their personal data taken, including 10 fingerprints and photographs from all three sides. The respondent reported:

“I told them I wanted to ask for asylum, but we were told to leave. They told us: “there is no asylum in Austria. Everything is full. Go to Holland or Belgium!””

The officers then reportedly showed the respondent to the train station in Salzburg and told him to leave Austria.