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Tunisian man hit with torch in Horgos

Date & Time 2022-01-24
Location Horgos Border, Vojvodina
Reported by Collective Aid
Coordinates 46.1756319, 19.9843403
Pushback from Hungary
Pushback to Serbia
Taken to a police station yes
Minors involved no
WLTI* involved no
Men involved yes
Age 30 - 35
Group size 1
Countries of origin Tunisia
Treatment at police station or other place of detention photos taken, denial of food/water
Overall number of policemen and policewomen involved 4
Violence used beating (with batons/hands/other)
Police involved There were 3 Army personnel who were from the Austrian Army, and there were also 4 Hungarian police officers.

The respondent is a Tunisian man, who reports having been pushed back from Hungary to Serbia from the border at the border crossing known as Horgos 2. At this border crossing, there are two fences one on the Serbian and one on the Hungarian side. The respondent reports not having made it over the second fence as he was caught in between the two fences.

The respondent then reports that two men, whom he suspected to be government officials approached him and asked him to walk.  The respondent  says he had an injured leg and was unable to, but the two men more aggressively asked him to walk for 30 minutes. He asked for water and was denied.

Thirty minutes later, the respondent recalls being called in a language he couldn’t understand. He then reports not responding and then being hit with a torch. While being beaten he recalls hearing “because you don’t listen”. He was taken to a second location and asked to sit in the snow for around 5 mins, and was denied water again when he asked for it. They then put him into a car and put him into a small cage which was much too small since he was a tall man, and his leg was injured. When the respondent expressed concern over this the officer said “shut the fuck up”. They took photos of him at the police station, headshot-type images, and then said ‘go to Serbia’ and opened the door for him to leave the station.