CASE: Activists arrested, mistreated and detained in Bulgaria
Another case of police aggression against activists supporting people on the move in Bulgaria 😤
Further persecution of activists from Collettivo Rotte Balcaniche and No Name Kitchen in September 2024 - organisations working on the ground to prevent illegal pushbacks.
Here’s what happened…
After calling emergency medical services for 8 people stranded in the forest (7 were minors, freezing in winter conditions):
activists were detained for 24 hours
faced false accusations of resistance
were forced to sign detention documents without translation
the 8 asylum seekers were held without access to medical care
This was not an isolated incident.
It’s part of an entrenched system of violent border policies in Bulgaria where people on the move are oppressed, and those who show solidarity are criminalised (as documented in recent posts).
Authorities not only ignore their duty to respond to distress calls, they punish those who do.
Thank you to these NGOs for your excellent work and persistent support of displaced people in the face of increasing repression.
🔗 October 2024 case - full details in our Crimes of Solidarity and Humanitarianism Database
