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Description
Reports on the illegal actions of Slovenian police have been multiplying since the summer of 2018, as asylum seekers are being returned to Croatia and a system of chain returns to camps in Bosnia and Herzegovina has established itself. Most migrants returned to Croatia are subjected to violence and torture by the Croatian police, while in Bosnia and Herzegovina they are placed in overcrowded camps under inhumane living conditions. As is clear from public statements of officials and police documents, the system of chain refoulment was put in place by the heads of Slovenian police and Ministry of interior affairs. The illegality of these returns has recently been confirmed by Slovenia''s Administrative court, which stated that the expulsion of migrants to Croatia represents a systemic breaching of human rights as well as conventions against torture. Despite all this, the Ministry of interior affairs continues to deny any such practices.
The purpose of the project is to begin an inquiry procedure with the United Nations Committee Against Torture. The committee of independent experts monitors the implementation of the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment by its State parties. The objective is to activate the international community and intervene in the controversial practices of the state through outside pressure, while strengthening the advocacy role of NGOs in the international sphere. We will also work to inform the media and public about the report and raise awareness about illegal returns.
The target group of the project are international institutions – firstly the UN Committee Against Torture, as well as lawmakers in the relevant ministry, parliamentary groups and MPs, protective institutions (Human rights ombudsman, Advocate for the principle of equality), experts in migration law, the media and wider public.
Summary of project results
The grantee has preprade a full report for the UN Committe against torture on the illigal push-backs of migrants by the Slovenian border police. The push-backs have not been yet sistematically identified and reported. This is the first time this organization had cooperated with UN in such a way and prepared a full report with evidences which will have a positive impact on the rest of their work (they have been recognized as an important actor in the filed of migrants in Slovenia and a credible source of information for international organizations). The report was accompanaited with promo video for general public.