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Beaten with tree branches

Date & Time 2021-06-02
Location Near the D216 road, Croatia
Reported by No Name Kitchen
Coordinates 45.30470767, 15.71330649
Pushback from Croatia
Pushback to Bosnia
Taken to a police station no
Minors involved no
WLTI* involved no
Men involved yes
Age unknown
Group size 10
Countries of origin Afghanistan, Pakistan
Treatment at police station or other place of detention
Overall number of policemen and policewomen involved 4-6
Violence used beating (with batons/hands/other), kicking, dog attacks, forcing to undress, theft of personal belongings
Police involved 4-6 Croatian police officers

On the 5th of February, the two respondents and 8 others took a taxi from Bihac to Velika Kladusa after which point they crossed the border to Croatia on foot. They reported that after walking 5 hours, in the forest near the D216 road in Croatia, what they described as 2 Croatian authorities approached and apprehended them. They were described as having a dog with them and called for more police officers to come.

According to the respondents, when more police cars arrived at the location, the 10 group members were allegedly placed in the vehicles and driven towards the border with Bosnia near Velika Kladusa. Once they arrived back at the border, they were taken out of the vehicle two by two at which point they were forced to undress. After handing over all of their clothes (underwear included), the group members were beaten with tree branches everywhere on their bodies as well as in the face. Allegedly, some were also bitten by the dog. While the respondent waited in the police vehicle, one of the other respondents described hearing the screaming of his fellow group members.

After this period of direct physical violence, the clothes were given back to the respondents and their friends. The authorities reportedly kept their money and mobile phones. The group then crossed the border back into Bosnia-Herzegovina on foot and began the return back to Velika Kladusa after which point they then walked 14 hours to return to Bihac.