On October 31, 2019, in a forest area in northwest Croatia almost 100 kilometers away from the European Union (EU) external border, more than 120 irregular migrants were rounded up by Croatian authorities.

The migrants, who presumably entered the bloc via Bosnia and Herzegovina, were among thousands of asylum seekers who were apprehended in western Croatia between August 2019 and February 2020, when a disproportionately large number of migrants arrived in Croatia.

During this time, refugee aid workers on the Bosnian side tended to injured asylum seekers, who reported being forced back over the border, on an almost daily basis.

Now, leaked screenshots of a WhatsApp group chat between top Croatian officials during that time appear to document violent and illegal actions like pushbacks.

According to a new report by Dutch investigative journalism non-profit Lighthouse Reports, the WhatsApp group named 'OA Koridor II- Zapad' was used by officials and police to "share sensitive info about arrests of people on the move".

The report, a collaboration with German news outlet Spiegel, Croatian media outlets Nova TV, Novosti and Telegram as well as Austrian public broadcaster ORF, analyzed 60 leaked screenshots documenting the apprehensions of more than 1,300 mostly Afghan, Pakistani and Syrian migrants during said period.

It also reportedly revealed the identity of more than two-thirds of the 22 members, including high-ranking Croatian officials like border police chief Zoran Ničeno.

Also read: Migrants to Europe face 'inhuman' pushbacks – report

Long-standing pushbacks allegations

Allegations of illegal pushbacks by Croatian authorities aren't new. In 2021, Lighthouse Reports published videos of Croatian operatives wearing masks and unmarked uniforms beating and shooting at asylum seekers during so-called pushback operations at EU external borders.

While the Croatian government acknowledged the existence of 'Operation Corridor,' the Interior Minister spoke of an isolated case. But Spiegel reported that migration experts, lawyers and human rights activists disagreed. Moreover, someone with inside information to the Croatian police told Spiegel the interior ministry had given the orders.

Screenshots of the chat group were leaked to Lighthouse Reports by an anonymous whistleblower.

In some of the leaked photos from the WhatsApp chat, people are seen lying face down on the ground or "having apparently been forced to remove their shoes, as armed Croatian officers stand above them," Lighthouse Reports said on Twitter.

There are also signs of possible pushbacks having taken place. Near the village of Skribini, 80 migrants were apprehended, a police officer wrote on February 13, 2020. The officer requested at least five vans for the "transport and deterrence". According to Spiegel, Croatian border police say they prevent people from entering migrants directly at the border. In this case, however, the migrants were apprehended far inland.

The Schengen Borders Code stipulates that people seeking protection can only be stopped from irregular crossings directly at the border.

According to Spiegel, the investigators checked the identity of the group members via social media profiles, freely available phone numbers and calls. They were also able to confirm the validity of some of the messages.

Read more: 'Europe's black sites' – allegations of torture and detention along EU borders

Informal chats to avoid official documentation?

Migration and Western Balkans expert Bodo Weber interpreted the leaked screenshots of the WhatsApp group chat in such a way that the arrests were happening far from official channels so they wouldn't be documented, Spiegel reported.

A former Croatian police officer, who was part of 'Operation Korridor' for a long time, confirmed this suspicion. His superiors, he said, prohibited him from officially recording the arrests. "Don't do reports" was the order, he claimed, according to Spiegel.

"The group was highly likely used to exchange info outside official channels so that illegal pushbacks could systematically take place with no trace," Lighthouse Reports said, citing experts and police sources.

Most Croatian officials, however, denied being members of the WhatsApp group. The government told Spiegel it wasn't able to confirm the authenticity of the chats, adding that such WhatsApp groups were closed three years ago and no longer exist.

The main objective of 'Operation Korridor,' it added, was the persecution of illegal human traffickers, which wasn't possible without official documentation. It also denied the existence of "unofficial" records.

EU-funded practice

'Operation Korridor' is indirectly financed by European taxpayers. Each year, Croatia receives millions of euros as well as room and board for Croatian border guards.

According to Lighthouse Reports, €8.5 million has been allocated to Croatia's radio communication system Tetra -- "yet officials seem to prefer WhatsApp for exchanging info on shadow border ops, sources say," the nonprofit said on Twitter. 

Despite the long-standing allegations, the European Commission (EC) has not yet initiated an infringement procedure against the government in Zagreb.

In reaction to the investigative report, Tineke Strik, a Dutch member of the European Parliament, called on the EC to finally launch a probe.

"Despite violating the core asylum safeguards and other human rights, Croatia was granted access to Schengen. Schengen Council and Commission are under the obligation to stop these violations," Strik said on Twitter.

But Ylva Johansson, the responsible EU Commissioner, Spiegel reported, only relies on the so-called Independent Monitoring Mechanism, which is now in place after a long delay.

Read more: Croatia to join Schengen but Bulgaria, Romania bids rejected