Croatian Police Accused of Continuing to Beat Refugees

German-based NGO Rigardu, which helps refugees on their way to Europe, passed reports to BIRN that allegedly show that Croatian police used violence against refugees in June.

Rigardu took statements from people who said they had witnessed the use of violence by the Croatian police, mostly on the border with Serbia, from where the refugees have been entering Croatia.

One said that the police beat four Algerian refugees in the Croatian municipality of Tovarnik, on the border with Serbia, on June 2.

"The first victim, who was then beaten, is Mohammed A., 17 years, from Algeria," the statement said.

"The police officers grabbed him by the ankles and dragged him across the ground (causing injuries to his back). They hit him with batons and kicked with their feet against his head. He lost his consciousness completely," it added.

There was another incident at the Tovarnik border crossing on June 11 when police officers attacked three Algerians, Rigardu alleged.

"The police started with punches into their faces (the police officers wore combat gloves), then hit them several times with batons on torso, heads and legs. The policemen kicked the refugees several times with steel cap shoes while they were lying on the ground. Some people lost their consciousness," one of the refugees claimed.

"Three persons, including two minors, were beaten several times with a gun butt on the back of their head. The police took all valuables away, including mobile phones and substantial sums of money (300, 500, 700 euros from three different members of the group)," the refugee also claimed.

Rigardu also recorded an attack that allegedly occurred in the village of Sapjane on Croatia's western border with Slovenia on June 7, when one Afghan minor...