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We begged them to at least let us keep the kid's warm clothes, and the Quran

Date & Time 2021-02-03
Location Near Bihac, Bosnia
Reported by No Name Kitchen
Coordinates 44.83052934, 15.72031238
Pushback from Croatia
Pushback to Bosnia
Taken to a police station no
Minors involved yes
WLTI* involved no
Men involved yes
Age 5 - 35
Group size 7
Countries of origin Afghanistan
Treatment at police station or other place of detention
Overall number of policemen and policewomen involved 6-7
Violence used insulting, destruction of personal belongings, theft of personal belongings
Police involved 6-7 Croatian officers in dark blue uniforms, 1 police car, 1 van

On Monday, March 1st, a group of 7 people including 2 kids aged 5 and 8 years old, started their journey at around 10 AM, from Bihac, Bosnia and Herzegovina towards Croatia.

At around 11 AM, on March 2nd, inside Croatian territory, they were reportedly apprehended by 2 Croatian men in dark blue uniforms. The respondent claimed that they were told by the officers they would be sent to the police station, where it would be decided whether they would go to the camp or sent back to Bosnia. According to the respondent they had to wait outside in the cold for around 2 hours, while the uniformed men made calls.

After those 2 hours, both officers put on their ski masks and jackets, and the group was told to walk down the hill, with one officer accompanying them on foot, and the other one following them with the car. According to the respondent, the hill was so muddy and slippery that they all fell a few times until they arrived at a spot where 4 or 5 other officers, also in dark blue uniforms, were waiting.

All group members and their belongings were then reportedly searched very thoroughly, and all their phones (except for one), power banks, and chargers were allegedly taken away. According to the respondent, the group was then put inside a van and after 3 hours of driving and frequent, long stops, they arrived at the push back point, around 30 kilometers away from Bihac.

At the push back point, the group was allegedly ordered to throw all their belongings, including all their food, water, warm clothes, sleeping bags, and backpacks inside a nearby hole where the things were set on fire. They would have also been forced to throw their Quran into the fire.

‘We begged them to at least let us keep the kid’s warm clothes, and the Quran, but they just yelled and mocked us’

The group was reportedly sent back to Bosnia at around 6-7 PM and had to then walk for around 20 kilometers before arriving at the first store where they could buy some food. They spent the night in an abandoned container, and had to walk another 10 kilometers the next morning before arriving in Bihac.