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Press Release: Court find Slovenian state guilty of chain pushback to Bosnia-Herzegovina

Civil initiative Info Kolpa, a key member of the Border Violence Monitoring Network, are sharing here the landmark judgement issued on 16th July 2020 by the Slovenian Administrative Court. The findings prove that the national police force carried out an illegal collective expulsion of a member of a persecuted English-speaking minority from Cameroon who wanted to apply for asylum in Slovenia. Continue reading “Press Release: Court find Slovenian state guilty of chain pushback to Bosnia-Herzegovina”

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Balkan Region Report – June 2020

The Border Violence Monitoring Network published 20 cases of illegal pushbacks during June, documenting the experience of 351 people whose rights were violated at the European Union’s external border. Volunteers in the field recorded a variety of cruel and abusive acts by officers, representing at least ten different national authorities. This report summarises the data and narrative testimony shared by people-on-the-move, highlighting the depth of violence being carried out in the service of hard borders.

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Germany must actively promote the respect of human rights and the rule of law at the EU borders during its EU Council Presidency

You can find a German version here.

More than 700 reports published on the database www.borderviolence.eu document the experiences of a total of more than 7,000 asylum seekers who have been illegally expelled from Croatia in recent years. In many of these so-called pushbacks, the persons concerned were deported from the EU to Serbia or Bosnia-Herzegovina even across several national borders. In 80% of the cases there are indications of disproportionate use of force up to cases of torture by Croatian officials and 38% of those affected are minors. For thousands of people seeking protection, who want to continue their refuge to Western and Central Europe via Greece, the Balkan region represents a politically intended impasse.

Continue reading “Germany must actively promote the respect of human rights and the rule of law at the EU borders during its EU Council Presidency”

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Deutschland muss während EU-Ratspräsidentschaft aktiv für die Einhaltung von Menschenrechten und Rechtsstaatlichkeit an den EU-Grenzen eintreten

Die englische Version gibt es hier.

Über 700 auf der Datenbank www.borderviolence.eu(*) veröffentlichte Berichte dokumentieren die Erfahrungen von insgesamt über 7.000 Schutzsuchenden, die in den letzten Jahren rechtswidrig aus Kroatien ausgewiesen wurden. Bei vielen dieser sogenannten Pushbacks wurden die Betroffenen sogar über mehrere Ländergrenzen hinweg aus der EU nach Serbien oder Bosnien-Herzegowina abgeschoben. In 80% der Fälle finden sich Hinweise auf unverhältnismäßige Gewaltanwendung bis hin zu Fällen von Folter und erniedrigende Behandlung durch kroatische Beamt*innen und 38% der Betroffenen sind minderjährig. Für tausende Schutzsuchende, die über Griechenland weiter nach West- und Zentraleuropa fliehen wollen, stellt die Balkanregion eine von der EU gewollte Sackgasse dar.

Continue reading “Deutschland muss während EU-Ratspräsidentschaft aktiv für die Einhaltung von Menschenrechten und Rechtsstaatlichkeit an den EU-Grenzen eintreten”

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New cases of torture revealed on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture

On the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, the Border Violence Monitoring Network is saddened to report new cases of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment of people on the move perpetrated by the EU member states and Western Balkan countries. 

On this symbolic occasion, we call upon governments across the Balkan migration routes to fulfill their obligation in line with international law and cease the practice of illegal pushbacks and end the continued torture of people on the move.

Continue reading “New cases of torture revealed on the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture”