Reacting to today’s judgement by the European Court of Human Rights that Croatia violated the rights of Madina Hussiny, a six-year-old girl who was hit and killed by a train after being pushed back to Serbia in 2017, Massimo Morratti, Deputy Director for Europe at Amnesty International, said:
“This is a huge victory for justice and may offer some closure but little comfort to Madina’s family who have waited for four years for this judgement.
“The ruling also confirms consistent reports of widespread pushbacks and abuse by the Croatian police repeatedly denied by Croatian authorities.
“Today’s ruling sends a clear message to other European governments that pushbacks, collective expulsions and denying people the opportunity to seek asylum are violations of the European Convention on Human Rights. With asylum seekers currently stranded at borders in freezing temperatures, authorities in Poland, Lithuania and Latvia should take note.”
Background
The European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) found Croatia to be in violation of ECHR Article 2 (right to life), Article 3 (prohibition on inhuman and degrading treatment), Article 5 and 1 (right to security and liberty) and violation of Article 4 of Protocol No. 4 to the Convention prohibiting collective expulsions and a violation of Article 34 (right of individual petition).
The Court also found that the investigation into Madina’s death had been ineffective.
The case was supported by humanitarian NGO, Are You Syrious, and Zagreb-based Centre for Peace Studies.
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact Amnesty International press office, press @amnesty.org +44 (0) 20 7413 5566: email: [email protected] / twitter: @amnestypress
Amnesty International