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He tried to de-escalate the situation and offered to go back across the border to escape police violence.

Date & Time 2021-07-27
Location Majdan, Serbia
Reported by Collective Aid
Coordinates 46.09780941, 20.27449743
Pushback from Romania
Pushback to Serbia
Taken to a police station no
Minors involved yes
WLTI* involved no
Men involved yes
Age 15 - 19
Group size 4
Countries of origin Syria, Iraq, Egypt
Treatment at police station or other place of detention
Overall number of policemen and policewomen involved 16
Violence used beating (with batons/hands/other)
Police involved approximately 16 Romanian police officers with 4 police cars

The respondent crossed the border from Majdan, Serbia, into Romania with his group on 27th July in the evening. The group included four people, one of them a minor, the other young adults from Syria, Iraq and Egypt.

The respondent explained that the police had hidden cameras in the Romanian border area. They had apparently already passed 25 cameras, but were caught at the 27th. After three minutes, four police cars arrived with about 16 police officers. The respondent and his group hid in the forest, but fearing they would be beaten, they soon decided to surrender and went to the police. The respondent tried to de-escalate the situation and offered to go back across the border to escape police violence. He also insisted on his right to apply for asylum.

The respondent reported that the group was searched and beaten by the police and then had to wait for about 30 minutes. After that, they had to walk back to the border while a police car drove behind them. At 10 p.m. they were back in Serbia.