Report on the Performance of Activities of the National Preventive Mechanism for 2016 and independence of the Republic of Croatia and defend its territorial integrity; in addition, armed forces may function as a support to the police only in cases foreseen by the Constitution: state of war, immediate danger to the independence and unity of the Republic of Croatia, in the event of any major natural disaster, during state of war, in case of immediate threat to independence, unity and continuity of the state or when government bodies are prevented from performing their constitutional duties, including as aid in firefighting, rescue operations as well as surveillance and protection of the rights of the Republic of Croatia at sea. They may not function as support when dealing with pressure of migration movements, as stated in the justification of amendments. Such manner of conduct shows that the state is more inclined to protecting and controlling its borders than to protecting refugees’ human rights. Besides closure of borders, EU-Turkey deal from March 2016, resulted in an altered approach towards persons moving along the so-called Balkan Route. After accord was concluded, people had to seek international protection in the country that they found themselves in or were attributed the status of irregular migrants. One of the consequences of such an abrupt change were insufficient reception capacities, in particular for those whose freedom of movement had been restricted, but also for those belonging to the vulnerable group of irregular migrants waiting for implementation of measures ensuring their return to countries of origin or safe countries. Therefore, in order to ensure stronger protection against torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment as well as to gain the best possible insight in the extent to which their rights are being respected, NPM visited Winter Transit Centre in Slavonski Brod (WTC SB), Foreigners Reception Centre in Ježevo (FRCJ), Reception Facility for Asylum Seekers in Zagreb (RFAS Zagreb) and Kutina (RFAS Kutina) as well as Vukovar-Srijem County Police Administration. During our visit, we noticed a series of Apart from inability to understand the difficulties faced by applicants for language in which the procedure was international protection and irregular conducted, limited right to free legal aid, as migrants when trying to exercise their rights, well as insufficient and untimely judicial which are especially reflected in cases of protection provided within the procedures limiting their freedom of movement, as a limiting their freedom of movement, another result of which they had been put in a problem was organization of healthcare particularly vulnerable position. Apart from services in accommodation centres as well as inability to understand the language in which ensuring additional scope of healthcare. the procedure was conducted, limited right to free legal aid, as well as insufficient and untimely judicial protection provided within those procedures, another problem was organization of healthcare services. In the Republic of Croatia, 320 persons remained in WTC SB, after closing of the so-called Balkan Route. Following closure of the procedure initiated on the basis of the Foreigners Act, they were delivered a return decision, accompanied by the pronounced measure of prohibition to leave WTC SB. Formally and legally speaking, this represented an alternative to detention measure; however, conditions under which they were detained, were de facto those of 39

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