Skip to content
Support our work

If you come back, we will kill you

Date & Time 2022-10-16
Location Horgos, Serbia
Reported by Collective Aid
Coordinates 46.17636996, 19.97421608
Pushback from Hungary
Pushback to Serbia
Taken to a police station yes
Minors involved no
WLTI* involved no
Men involved yes
Age 42 - 42
Group size 6
Countries of origin Morocco
Treatment at police station or other place of detention photos taken
Overall number of policemen and policewomen involved 6
Violence used beating (with batons/hands/other), kicking, pushing people to the ground, insulting, electric shock, destruction of personal belongings, theft of personal belongings
Police involved 6 Hungarian border officers, wearing green camouflage, balaclavas, Hungarian flag on arm band.

A group of 21 men, mostly from Morocco, attempted to cross the border fence between Hungary and Serbia near Horgos just before 7:00 am on 16th October. The respondent explained that 6 of them were apprehended by what he referred to as ‘NATO’ in the area between the fences. Having asked what he meant by ‘NATO’, the respondent replied that everyone knows that the officers at the weekend are NATO, they are more aggressive and speak a mix of languages. The respondent emphasised that these officers were not police but dressed in military combat uniform with Hungarian flags and their faces completely covered. They spoke with the apprehended group in English, but between themselves the respondent reports that he heard Hungarian and German.

When he jumped down from the first fence, the respondent hurt his ankle. He reports that he was immediately circled by police. He said they had night vision goggles and torches. He reports being screamed at to lie down, then immediately being beaten with black batons. An officer reportedly inflicted an electric shock on the respondent with his taser whilst forcing him to the ground.

The bags of these 6 men were searched by the police and their money was reportedly taken; the respondent states an officer took 100 euros from him. His phone was also taken by an officer and he says he witnessed him insert something into the charging port of his phone and then return it. He discussed it with others who had had the same experience and came to the conclusion that it must be a GPS signal or tracking device.

The respondent had only just returned from this experience when he gave this report. He was still very weak from the beating and particularly in shock from the taser. He said he felt terrified as he recalled the officer shouting “Fuck you, if you come back, we will kill you.’

Though they were apprehended between the fence, they report that the officers kept them on the ground for over an hour repeatedly insulting and beating them. They were then walked over to gate in the fence by the Roske transit zone, their photos were taken by Hungarian police and they were forced back to Serbia.