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My friend told them not to deport us to Afghanistan because we have problems there. One policeman said "Fuck your mother" and pushed him to the ground.

Date & Time 2022-07-02
Location Velika Kladuša
Reported by Anonymous
Coordinates 45.1831844, 15.79819353
Pushback from Croatia
Pushback to Bosnia
Taken to a police station no
Minors involved no
WLTI* involved no
Men involved yes
Age 22 - 23
Group size #N/A
Countries of origin Afghanistan
Treatment at police station or other place of detention
Overall number of policemen and policewomen involved Seven
Violence used beating (with batons/hands/other), kicking, pushing people to the ground
Police involved Seven Croatian policemen wearing black uniforms (Interventna Jednica Policija) with one wearing a black balaclava mask. two grey private cars (no insignia)

The respondent is a 22 years old man from Afghanistan who was part of a transit group with five other men from Afghanistan, all aged 22-23 years old. They left Bihać on February 5th and walked to Velika Kladuša, where they crossed the Croatian border.

According to the respondent, they were walking for two days when they reached a little Croatian village with a bridge. As soon as they crossed the bridge, they noticed a camera. The respondent could not recall the exact location because his phone was later stolen by the police. They proceeded towards the “jungle”, as the respondent calls the woods, and once there, two policemen reportedly stopped the group. At approximately 1 AM, the policemen, described as two middle-aged men wearing black uniforms, arrived in an unmarked grey car.

The respondent explained that soon after, a similar car arrived and five more policemen joined them, who were described as wearing black uniforms. One person wore a balaclava mask, and reportedly approached the group and started beating them all up. In particular, one of the respondent’s friends was kicked severely while laying on the ground. Two other people were also beaten up violently all over their bodies. The respondent was reportedly slapped in the face by another policeman.

They told us to go back to our country and they beat us too much. My friend told them not to deport us to Afghanistan because we have problems there. One policeman said “Fuck your mother” and pushed him to the ground.

The police reportedly confiscated all of their belongings, including phones and money.

Afterwards, the six Afghan men were loaded into the two police cars. The car ride lasted an estimated three or four hours. They were finally pushed back to Velika Kladuša around 5 AM and walked all the way to Bihać again.