On 18 November, the German weekly news magazine Der Spiegel presented new pictures that confirmed allegations of systematic violence and ill-treatment carried out by Croatian police against migrants trying to enter Croatia from Bosnia and Herzegovina.
The investigation, which was based on testimonies from victims and NGOs, has videos showing migrants being harmed by men carrying batons.
Der Spiegel has also traced the journey taken by this group of migrants. They arrived in Slovenia before they were intercepted. They say they were denied the right to apply for asylum. They were sent back to Croatia and then on to Bosnia and Herzegovina.
On 10 November, Emily O'Reilly, the European Ombudsman, opened an inquiry into the European Commission’s handling of the accusations of violence against, and refoulement of, migrants and its handling of the actions of the Croatian police, who are engaging in violence and, according to the NGOs, preventing migrants from making asylum applications (see EUROPE 12599/17, 12505/24).
The Commission had not responded to EUROPE’s request for information before our publication deadline. Further charges of migrant refoulement are currently being brought against Greece (see related article). (Original version in French by Solenn Paulic)