Human rights group Amnesty International said in its latest report on human rights in Croatia in 2020 that Croatian authorities have continued to be violent towards illegal migrants and that access to abortion is limited. At the same time, they praised improvements in tackling gender-based violence and a recent court ruling allowing same-sex couples to become foster parents.

“Aid organizations documented over 15,000 cases of push-backs and collective expulsions, frequently accompanied by violence and abuse,” Amnesty International said, singling out an especially egregious case of 15 migrants allegedly beaten by police while tied to a tree.

The Croatian Interior Ministry regularly denies all allegations of migrant abuse.

Gender-based violence

“In January, legal amendments harmonizing the definition of rape in criminal legislation with international standards and increasing penalties for crimes of gender-based violence entered into force,” Amnesty International said, adding that “the number of reported rape cases more than doubled” as the changes “significantly expanded the scope of the offence. Proceedings continued to be lengthy, lasting between three and five years.. Due to the reclassification of domestic violence offences, the number of criminal prosecutions for such offences rose sharply. Nevertheless, in the majority of cases, domestic violence continued to be treated as a minor offence attracting minor penalties. Police and courts remained reluctant to enforce protective measures,” Amnesty International said.

Sexual and reproductive rights

“Women continued to face significant barriers in accessing sexual and reproductive health services and information… The widespread refusal of individual doctors and some clinics to perform abortions on grounds of conscience, as well as prohibitively high costs of services and poor regional coverage of authorized providers, presented an insurmountable obstacle to women of lower social economic status,” Amnesty International said.

A new law on abortion was not adopted, Amnesty International said, although the “deadline to replace an outdated law set by the 2017 Constitutional Court ruling expired in February 2019.”

Roma discrimination

“Roma continued to face discrimination in all walks of life, including education, health, housing and employment,” AI says, adding that due to lack of electricity and the internet, “many Roma children were unable to access any remote learning during school closures, thereby further deepening educational gaps between Roma and non-Roma pupils,” Amnesty International said.

Freedom of expression

“Journalists investigating corruption and organized crime continued to face threats and intimidation,” AI says, adding that according to the Croatian Journalists’ Association, over 900 lawsuits were filed against journalists in 2020 for “violation of honour and reputation,” Amnesty International said.