On social networks and the H-alter portal, there are new testimonies from refugees that confirm many previous detentions of being detained in a garage that denies them access to the toilet, food, water and personal belongings. New pictures indicate that it is the practice of the Ministry of Interior to keep refugees in inhumane conditions, as H-alter states, in the blue door garage of the Korenica police station. Although the MoI confirmed after the previous publication of detention of people in the Korenica garage that they did so twice due to lack of space, according to testimonials from people on social networks, such cases did not appear to be isolated situations and detentions occurred more frequently.
While the whole world is horrified by the inhumane conditions and camps in which the United States detains people at its borders, Croatia is doing the same in the depths of its territory. By detaining people, including children, in garages and premises inadequate for life, the Ministry of Interior and the Government of the Republic of Croatia violate human rights, which is why the Welcome Initiative calls for an end to these inhumane practices.
A 23-year-old Afghan national died by drowning in the Slatina Pokupska region earlier this week, while other 10 people were rescued from a sinking van. All survivors received health care and after being released from hospitals applied for asylum and are in the Reception Centre for Asylum Seekers in Zagreb. According to the notes we take and based on media reports, as of 2017, the number of people who lost their lives at the Croatian borders due to irregular border crossings is over 25, of which 3 this year.
According to the Ministry of Interior, from the beginning of the year until 25 July, 573 persons expressed the intention of seeking international protection, and 459 applications were submitted. The total number of granted protections was 827 (687 asylums and 140 subsidiary protections) by the same date. This year, 343 were returned from Croatia to BH based on readmission agreements, and 2 were admitted; 125 persons were returned to Serbia and none were admitted; 3461 were admitted from Slovenia and 14 were returned to Slovenia. The Slovenian Ministry of the Interior has published official statistics of people returned to Croatia, which coincides with the aforementioned data, but the question is where are these people.
The situation in BH is not improving and news reports say that the official statistics of entries to BH this year are 21000, that the reception capacities are full but negate the problem of lack of food and health care.
Inicijativa Dobrodošli!/Welcome! Initiative
02.09.19