Push-backs from Hungary to Serbia - summary

Klikaktiv conducted in-depth interviews with 27 people who provided first-hand information about being pushed back from Hungary back into Serbia. Also, Klikaktiv had group conversations with another 20-25 people about the push-backs. 

Vulnerability assessment:

●  When it comes to vulnerability assessment, there were 4 unaccompanied minors. 

Access to territory and to asylum:    

●  All of them had tried to cross the border at least twice before (some of them stated they had tried to cross the border up to 50 times before) and were also pushed back.

●   One of them reported having been the victim of a "chain push-back" before - on one occasion from Slovenia to Croatia to Serbia and once from Austria to Hungary and again back to Serbia.

●   The majority of them stated that they were returned by the police officers, at the "green border". Only three men reported that they were returned through the official border crossing point and handed over to Serbian authorities.

●  The majority of them stated that they had suffered physical violence: police officers mostly beat them with their hands and/or kicked them. In September they reported on the "new method" - forcibly sinking their heads in the water. Also, they reported that the police released dogs on them as a way of intimidation. 

●  They all reported having suffered psychological violence at the hands of police officers. Police threatened them with putting them in jail if they were caught again. Also, police took their pictures with mobile phones saying that they would be sent to all police patrols at the border. 

●  None of them had access to the asylum procedure or to UNHCR.

Procedural guarantees and basic rights:

●  The majority of them did not receive any written notice from the competent authorities. Only three men who were taken back to the official border crossing point received some written notice from the Hungarian police, but the notice was in Hungarian so they did not understand it. 

●  None of them were provided with an interpreter.

●  None of them received legal help nor were they informed by the police officers that they have a right to free legal help.

●  None of them were provided with medical help while in Hungary.