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Illegal border crossing: German journalist arrested in Croatia at the side of refugees

2021-11-21T10:15:52.892Z


Croatian authorities arrested several migrants with a German journalist at their side. The court did not consider the attempted smuggling to be proven, but it was prosecuted for illegally crossing the border.


Enlarge image

A group of Egyptian migrants walk in the snow through a mountain area in Bosnia-Herzegovina towards Croatia

Photo: Manu Brabo / AP / DPA

A German journalist was arrested in Croatia together with seven people seeking protection with whom he had illegally entered the EU.

This was reported by the portal vecernji.hr on Sunday night.

The incident occurred on Friday in the municipality of Cetingrad near the border with Bosnia-Herzegovina.

The city court in Karlovac sentenced the 44-year-old German to a fine of 3,600 kuna (around 500 euros) for illegally crossing the border.

At the same time, it was not considered proven that the German had helped those seeking protection.

The court dropped the charge of smuggling brought by the border police.

This offense is threatened with much more severe penalties.

Alleged illegal pushbacks

The border police announced an appeal against the first instance judgment.

Nothing was known about the origin and further fate of the refugees who might have wanted to apply for asylum.

Croatia has long been criticized for violently pushing refugees and migrants back to Bosnia who arrive in the country via irregular routes.

Human rights organizations and journalists have repeatedly documented these so-called "pushbacks" and the sometimes severe mistreatment of those seeking protection.

In the past, SPIEGEL had already documented extensive violations at the EU's external borders in Greece and Croatia.

The research showed for the first time that the Croatian intervention police and special units of the Greek coast guard systematically abuse asylum seekers and force them back in clandestine operations.

more on the subject

Exclusive videos and insider reports: The shadow army that beats refugees from the EU

In Croatia, the researchers filmed eleven so-called illegal pushbacks on the border with Bosnia and Herzegovina.

These videos show how masked intervention police on Croatian territory are driving refugees and migrants back to Bosnia with batons.

The victims of the abuse do not have the opportunity to apply for asylum.

The work of the masked men in Croatia is partly financed by European taxpayers' money.

mrc / dpa

Source: spiegel

All news articles on 2021-11-21

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