Human rights defenders express their concern over detentions of Chechen natives in Croatia

In Croatia, the police detained at least 15 natives of Chechnya who arrived from Russia and subjected them to violence with the demand to refuse asylum requests. This was reported on Telegram channel of the Chechen human rights association “Vayfond”, based in Sweden.

“I think about 50 people were detained. They are natives of Chechnya who left Russia for the Balkans and arrived in Croatia. As far as I know, they do not plan to stay in the country, but they plan to go further to Europe to join their relatives and friends there,” explained Isa Daduev, the spokesperson for the “Assembly of Chechens of Europe”, as quoted by the “Kavkaz.Realii”*.

Isa Daduev has also added that despite his legal stay in Europe, when he entered Croatia, his documents were also being checked for a long time without any explanations.

The detainees are being kept in a deportation camp and checked for involvement in extremism, while the detainees complained about the use of violence against them, Isa Daduev stated.

“The police do not let the detainees contact their relatives and advocates and put strong pressure on them in attempts to force them to sign a waiver of asylum application, after which the detainees will be deported,” the spokesperson for the “Assembly of Chechens of Europe” said.

According to him, the “Assembly of Chechens of Europe” already knows four cases when people signed a waiver of asylum application and were deported.

It should be noted that migrants from Chechnya also attract special attention of the police in other European countries. So, on March 13, Amina Gerikhanova was detained with her child at the Romanian border while they were trying to leave Ukraine, where the woman lived after she left Chechnya. On November 4, the Chechen human rights association “Vayfond” reported that Amina Gerikhanova had been granted the refugee status in Romania.

*Included in the register of the media, acting as a foreign agent.