Source: APC
Photo: APC

Subotica, August 16, 2024 – Between 50 and 100 refugees arrive daily at the Hungarian border, primarily during nighttime hours. These individuals attempt to cross through the protective fence in small groups or hide inside truck trailers.

In February, the number of people prevented from crossing the border has been steadily increasing, while the APC team has observed that smugglers remain active along the entire green border area, from Subotica to Martonoš. Most refugees attempt to cross from the Horgoš area, with some enduring multiple nights outdoors in freezing temperatures below zero. Hungarian police continue to conduct daily pushbacks, which, according to refugee testimonies, involve violent actions such as beatings, humiliation, and the destruction or confiscation of mobile phones.

Our APC’s mobile teams on the ground provide essential legal assistance and relevant information to refugees, monitor institutional practices along the border, and oversee the enforcement of laws and protection of the rights of vulnerable individuals and asylum seekers at Serbia’s northern borders with the EU.