Deaths on the Balkan route and the Big Orthodox Cemetery in Sombor

In September, the Klikaktiv team visited the Big Orthodox Cemetery in Sombor, as part of the research and recording of refugee deaths that occurred in Serbia as part of the Balkan refugee route, as well as the mapping of grave sites where refugees were buried. In previous months, Klikaktiv contacted Public Prosecutor's Offices, centers for social welfare, city administrations, public utility companies and other competent authorities in order to collect as complete information as possible about death cases.

On the so-called "social cemetery" (separated plot of the cemetery where materially disadvantaged citizens are buried, including asylum seekers and refugees), we found 4 graves of refugees who were buried under their full names and surnames and four more NN graves. The NN designation is used when the identity of the deceased cannot be determined, that is, when official documents for the identification of the person, such as an identity card, passport or documents from the asylum procedure, are missing. Along with the NN mark, only the year of burial is recorded on the grave, so the graves from 2017, 2021, 2022 and 2023 are listed as such.

When it comes to the graves of the people who were identified and buried under their names, we located four graves: 

Abo Bakr Mahmoud and his brother Abo Bakr Mohammed Ali from Syria, who drowned in the Bajski Channel in June 2023 while trying to cross the border between Serbia and Croatia, were buried in this cemetery under their own name. Mahmoud was only 20 years old and his brother Ali was 22 years old. The media did not report on this case, nor is there any publicly available information about their deaths.

In addition to Mahmoud and Ali, Salih Alebed from Syria was buried in the same cemetery. His tombstone is in the worst condition - a wooden cross that has fallen to the ground, with faded letters and a date of death that is no longer visible. However, according to the data collected by Klikaktiv from the competent authorities, we learned that Salih died in August 2023 from diffuse inflammation of the peritoneum due to the rupture of an ulcer on the duodenum. A death that, perhaps, could have been prevented if Salih had access to medical care and help. His body was found near the bus station in Sombor.

Leila Muhammad rests in the last grave and apart from the information that she was 42 years old at the time of her death, there is no other information available about her death.