CROATS RELEASE TIED MIGRANTS IN KORANA RIVER: Harassment of refugees on Bosnian border continues

The report states that representatives of the Committee paid an ad hoc visit to Croatia from 10 to 14 August 2020, especially along the border area with Bosnia and Herzegovina, to examine the conduct of the Croatian police, legal guarantees available to migrants, and the effectiveness of surveillance mechanisms and the responsibilities in cases of alleged misuse of police powers.

Documented testimonies published in the CPT report state that the migrants were subjected to harassment by Croatian police officers, from beatings with batons to shootings and slaps.

Several statements by migrants speak of the compulsion to walk barefoot through the forest to the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina and to throw "still tied migrants into the Korana river", which separates Croatia from Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Foto: Tanjug/AP

Some migrants also stated that they were returned to Bosnia and Herzegovina "only in their underwear or naked", and that gunshots were fired in their direction.

"Despite the existing challenges, the Republic of Croatia must meet its human rights obligations and treat migrants entering the country across the border in a humane and dignified manner," the report said.

The CPT's findings clearly show that there are no effective accountability mechanisms in place to identify perpetrators of alleged ill-treatment, nor that there are guidelines from the Croatian Police Directorate to document such operations.

It is pointed out that the representatives of the Council of Europe had difficulties in cooperating with the Croatian authorities, providing them with incomplete information, and were hindered by police officers in accessing the documentation necessary for the delegation to carry out the Committee's mandate and report.