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I just want them to see us like human beings
The main respondent was part of a group of twenty-four people of mixed nationalities, including four from Sierra Leone (including the main respondent) and five women. They report that they set out from Lipa camp (Bosnia), walking for almost two days to cross the Croatian border. They report that a drone scouted them near the border on the Croatian side around four in the morning and shortly thereafter six Croatian police officers arrived. The main respondent was able to identify these as the Croatian police because of the badges on their uniforms.
Lipa camp, where the respondent and the group departed from, and was returned to after the pushback.
The respondent described that when these Croatian police officers arrived, they began shooting the group with rubber bullets at close range. The main respondent was shot in the face and it resulted in a deep gash on both his forehead and his cheek. After this, he describes that the police moved in with batons and began beating everyone, including the women and those already injured with the bullets. This resulted in a fractured elbow for the man giving testimony, in addition to the rubber bullet wounds.
All 24 people were then loaded into a van by these police officers, and driven back across the border where they were taken to Lipa camp.
legal analysis
The described use of excessive force seems to constitute an unlawful use of force: given that use of force must be necessary and proportionate. Being shot with rubber bullets at close range suggests a violation of the right to life (Art. 2 ECHR; Art. 2 EU Charter; Art. 3 UDHR; Art. 6 ICCPR) as use of firearms is lawful only when strictly unavoidable to protect life, and from such a close range even the use of rubber bullets may be fatal. 'Less-Lethal' use rubber bullets does not equate to the so-called 'Non-Lethal' use of force, particularly when fired at close enough range to maim or kill, suggesting potential violations of the 1990 Basic Principles. Futhermore, the group was unarmed and vulnerable, posed no threat, and had no means of resistance - suggesting the threshold for necessity and proportionality were clearly not met to justify such a use of force.
overview
24 people ,
from Sierra Leone, other,
aged Adults.