HRW wrote to Grabar-Kitarović regarding the expulsion of migrants to BiH

ZAGREB, (Patria) - The Director of Human Rights Watch for Europe and Central Asia, Hugh Williamson, sent an open letter to Croatian President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarović, due to the expulsion of migrants to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

"On behalf of Human Rights Watch, I want to ask you to order an investigation into illegal expulsions of migrants by Croatian border police, and to stop such practices. In an interview with Swiss TV SRF on July 9, you admitted that Croatian border police illegally expel migrants to Bosnia and Herzegovina, and that in some cases they use force. This is contrary to previous denials by Croatian officials, but in line with the findings of Human Rights Watch, UN agencies for refugees, and other organizations," stated Williamson's letter, published by N1 Television.

Williamson warns the Croatian president that the summary return of migrants from an EU member state to a non-member country without prior consideration of protection and with the use of force violates several EU laws, as well as the UN Refugee Convention.

"The admission that Croatian officials are involved in such actions means that there is a duty to conduct an investigation so that those responsible are held accountable for these actions, and to ensure that they do not happen again," said Williamson.

During a research mission to Bosnia and Herzegovina in November 2018, HRW recorded worrying problems in the procedures of the Croatian border police and their expulsion of asylum seekers and other migrants at the borders with BiH. In many cases, such expulsions involved violence.

For this reason, the Director of Human Rights Watch for Europe and Central Asia stated in the letter sent to Grabar-Kitarović:

"We conveyed our findings to the Croatian Ministry of the Interior in December. In its response of December 4, the Minister of the Interior denied all accusations of expulsion and violence. At a meeting on May 20 with Ms. Terezija Gras, Secretary General in the Ministry of the Interior, HRW was told that expulsions are not happening, that all returns of migrants to BiH are in accordance with Croatian and EU laws, and that our evidence is based on fabricated stories. Ms. Gras also accused activists of impersonating Croatian border police and subjecting migrants to violence to make the Croatian police look bad.

HRW's findings support existing reports of violence. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees reported in August 2018 on accusations that Croatian police summarily return migrants to BiH, as well as accusations of violence and theft. The Council of Europe's Commissioner for Human Rights called on your government to investigate all allegations of violence and the return of migrants. Similarly, in March, Amnesty International published a report expressing the same concerns.

HRW previously expressed concern about violent returns of asylum seekers and other migrants at the border between Croatia and Serbia in December 2016, when the Ministry of the Interior, in its response, again denied all allegations."

The Director of Human Rights Watch for Europe and Central Asia, Hugh Williamson, called on the Croatian president to ensure that the responsible authorities in Croatia take immediate steps to end illegal and violent expulsions, and that their actions and laws are in accordance with international and EU laws on refugees, reports the Patria agency.