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The Greek police officers proceeded to whip, beat, and kick the transit group

Date & Time 2022-07-09
Location Evros river
Reported by Collective Aid
Coordinates 41.6544448, 26.4922516
Pushback from Greece
Pushback to Turkey
Taken to a police station no
Minors involved yes
WLTI* involved no
Men involved yes
Age 14 - 21
Group size 6
Countries of origin Syria
Treatment at police station or other place of detention
Overall number of policemen and policewomen involved 10
Violence used beating (with batons/hands/other), kicking, pushing people to the ground
Police involved Greek police officers wearing balaclavas

Around September 7 – the respondent could not remember the exact date – a group of six Syrian youth – ranging in age from fourteen to twenty-one – tried to cross the Evros River, from Turkey into Greece near Kastanies Border Crossing point.

During the crossing, the respondent and his fellow travelers encountered ten Greek police officers seemingly carrying what looked like firearms.  The officers proceeded to whip, beat, and kick the group. According to the respondent, during the beating, one of his group members was pushed into the Evros River and drowned.

After that, the police officers took the group members’ phones as well as some of their clothing and money, before telling them to go back to Turkey.

The respondent did not ask for asylum because he knew the officers would not listen to them and that they only wanted to hurt them. The officers would not let them speak.