A network of NGOs published Friday a report on violence and illegal refoulement of migrants at the borders of the European Union. Based on the testimony of 900 people, the report was initiated by the Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left in the European Parliament and led by the Border Violence Monitoring Network, which brings together NGOs and associations.
The 'Black Book on Refoulements' has documented the experiences of 12,654 people since 2017 in Italy, Slovenia, Hungary, Greece, Croatia and Balkan countries (outside the EU). Testifying for the report, a young 17-year-old Afghan teenager – who was discovered by the Italian police last November while hiding in a truck in the port of Bari – said he was physically assaulted (with sticks) before being sent back to Greece by boat without food or drinking water. The document also revealed that several migrants were attacked with electric pulse weapons and placed in facilities lacking basic equipment, while asylum seekers were forced to undress.
Last Friday, the Border Violence Monitoring Network submitted its report to the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johansson, who pointed out that refoulements do not comply with European legislation and the right to asylum.
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