Skip to content
Support our work

The policeman started beating them to make them fell into the river that separates Croatia from Bosnia. The respondant affirms: I can't swim, I would have drowned and died if my friend hadn't helped me.

Date & Time 2023-10-22
Location Slunj, Croatia
Reported by Anonymous Partner
Coordinates 45.1148502, 15.5860049
Pushback from Croatia
Pushback to Bosnia
Taken to a police station no
Minors involved no
WLTI* involved no
Men involved yes
Age 21 - 27
Group size 5
Countries of origin Morocco
Treatment at police station or other place of detention
Overall number of policemen and policewomen involved 9
Violence used beating (with batons/hands/other), water immersion, gunshots, dog attacks, theft of personal belongings
Police involved 9 policeman met in total: 4 croatian policeman 5 croatian border policemen wearing black masks

The respondent is a 21 years old man from Morocco, he was traveling with other 4 Moroccans people and they were were apprehended at the Central Bus Station in Slunj, on Sunday 22nd October, in broad daylight.

The transit group arrived at the Central Bus Station in Slunj, and as soon as they reached the bus stop, they found themselves apprehended by the police. As the respondent states, the four policemen who detained them were stationed at the café in front of the bus station, anticipating the arrival of migrants.

The respondent claims that the police escorted them back to the border with Bosnia-Herzegovina and handed them over to five Croatian border policemen wearing black masks. Released into the meadows, the group was immediately confronted by unleashed dogs. One of the canines attacked a member of the group, biting him on the finger and causing a severe injury. Then the policemen started firing their guns in the sky to scare the group. The individual, that the respondent reported to wear uniform that can resemble the one of the intervention police, started beating them to make them fell into the river that separates Croatia from Bosnia. The respondent reported: “I can’t swim, I would have drowned and died if my friend hadn’t helped me”.

To further torment the group, the policemen provocatively inquired about their religious affiliation, specifically targeting their Muslim identity. When one of the members confirmed their Muslim faith, the policemen started laughing a lot.