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“They broke his finger and burned his face” Five men beaten, robbed, and forced back to Bosnia
A group of five men, aged between eighteen and twenty-five, were victims of a violent pushback carried out by Croatian police near Batnoga, Croatia, on Wednesday, October 22, 2025. The respondent, a twenty-five-year-old man, was among them. The group had crossed the border from Bosnia into Croatia in the northern area of Velika Kladuša. From there, they continued walking through the forest until they reached the surroundings of Batnoga, where they were intercepted by Croatian police officers.
Apprehension point
According to the respondent, the group was apprehended by Croatian authorities while inside Croatian territory. Three police vehicles were involved in the operation — two small vans not designed for passenger transport and one car. There were seven officers present, all wearing blue Croatian police uniforms, accompanied by two dogs, one large and one smaller. Upon being caught, the officers immediately confiscated all their belongings, including phones, power banks, and money. The respondent reports that the officers began beating them with batons. During the assault, one officer grabbed a man by his pinky finger and deliberately broke it (see: picture). Another officer pressed a lit cigarette onto a man’s face, leaving a burn mark. One member of the group suffered a deep wound to his leg (see: picture below). The respondent describes the most violent officer as a large, older man wearing glasses. After taking their possessions, the police returned the group’s phones in a completely smashed condition but kept the money and power banks for themselves. The five men were then forced into a marked police van with no seats, together with one of the dogs. The dog, which was not muzzled, scratched one person and tore another’s jacket. The respondent reports that there was almost no air to breathe inside the van, which was small and not intended for transporting people, more like a large trunk. The officers drove recklessly for around two hours toward the border, causing the detainees to be thrown around inside the vehicle. Several of them hit their heads, and some vomited from nausea due to the violent driving.
Once they reached the border area, the police forced the men to cross back into Bosnia. Without money for transportation, the group had to walk for two days until they reached Bihać. The respondent concludes by stating that they were brutally beaten, robbed, and humiliated by Croatian police officers for no reason, even though they offered no resistance. He emphasizes that they only wanted to travel safely but were instead subjected to inhuman and degrading treatment.
medical analysis
The injury concerns the fifth finger (pinky) of the right hand, which presents visible deformity, swelling, and localized bruising. The abnormal angulation and displacement of the phalanges are consistent with a fracture with displacement (displaced fracture). The respondent reports acute pain, limited mobility, and an inability to flex or extend the finger properly. The visible deformity suggests that one or more of the phalangeal bones are misaligned, likely due to a direct traumatic force applied to the finger.
overview
5 people ,
from Sudan,
aged Between 18-25.