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We were crying like little children
A group of twenty-five men, including three older people and three minors, were crossing with two guides. They were found by officers whom they identified as Croatian police after one of the guides tried to put too many people in one car. The second guide left with two people as soon as the officers showed up. Everyone asked for asylum.
The remaining 23 people were taken to a police station around 5pm where they were met by a second group of officers whose faces were completely covered. Here, they were forced to take their clothes off, they were beaten, their phones were smashed, and their jackets and shoes were taken. They were held at the station until two am.
The three older members of the group were allowed to file for asylum. Everyone else was driven to the border, where they were again beaten and also chased and bitten by police dogs until they crossed over to Bosnia.
legal analysis
Beating and dog attacks are both acts of physical violence that violate Art. 3 ECHR; Art. 4 EU Charter; Art. 5 UDHR; Art. 7 ICCPR
Forced undressing is degrading treatment that may constitute sexual assault or torture according to Art. 3 ECHR; Art. 4 EU Charter; Art. 17 ICCPR; Art. 12 UDHR
Arbitrary detention is a violation of Art. 5 ECHR; Art. 6 EU Charter; Art. 9 ICCPR
Pushbacks violate non-refoulement and prohibition of collective expulsion. See Art. 33 Refugee Convention; Art. 3 ECHR; Prot.4 Art.4 ECHR; Art.19 EU Charter
Theft and destruction of belongings is degrading and a violation of property rights according to Prot.1 Art.1 ECHR; Art.17 EU Charter; Art.3 ECHR.
overview
25 people ,
from Egypt, Unknown,
aged three minors, 22 adults including several early-20s.