Source: Balkan Refugee Network

Date: 14.04.2022.

The Grand Chamber Panel of the European Court of Human Rights rejected the referral request of the Republic of Croatia in the case of little Madina’s family. Thus, the judgement that the Republic of Croatia violated Madina’s right to life became final, concluding that:

1. Madina Hussinyand her family were recognized by the European Court of Human Rights as victims of illegal expulsion by the Republic of Croatia to Serbia, which resulted in the loss of life of a six-year-old girl on November 21, 2017.
2. Republic of Croatia treated children inhumanely by keeping them in detention, illegally deprived the whole family of their liberty, collectively expelled part of the family from Croatia to Serbia and, after all, denied them access to  lawyer precisely with the aim of preventing this case from reaching the European Court of Human Rights.

After this strong and final confirmation of the ruling, the Government of the Republic of Croatia can no longer ignore committed failures, but must urgently dismiss those responsible, urgently finding and sanctioning the direct perpetrators, and introducing immediate command and political responsibility for those in the chain of decision-making in the case of late Madina Hussney and her family.

The institutions of the Republic of Croatia should take concrete steps to ensure that something like this never happens again to any other exiled child and its family along its borders.

By rejecting the appeal, the Grand Chamber upheld the previous ruling of the ECtHR, and justice for Madina is finally achieved! 

It is up to the Republic of Croatia to correct part of the injustice inflicted by addressing those responsible and stopping illegal and violent practice of expulsions of refugees to other Balkan countries!