Renewed Croatian Aggression In Liberland: Civilians and Red Cross Volunteers Forcibly Removed
After two weeks of relative calm in Liberland following the arrest of Danish born Liberland citizen Ulrik Haagensen, Croatian forces once again entered into Liberland territory today and abducted four people from Liberty Island. Among those abducted were aid workers representing the Liberland Red Cross. As in the past, members of the Croatian forces used excessive violence while removing the Liberlanders. The LSA was on hand to capture today’s events on video:
Arriving from Serbia on the left bank of the Danube River, two LSA members approached Liberty Island while Croatian Police boats gave chase. They were joined by several humanitarian workers from the Liberland Red Cross who were there to carry out their duties of observing and offering emergency aid if necessary.
As shown in the video, all four of the non-combatants were removed with force, which included being dragged, pulled and carried off of their sovereign soil. One of the settlers, a 41 year old Brazilian native known as Crom, suffered severe violence at the hands of the Croatian forces. Crom can be seen in the video being manhandled and placed into a headlock before being thrown onto a police vessel.
Details are still unknown as to the whereabouts or condition of the LSA and LLRC members, but from previous actions is can be assumed that they were abducted across the Croatian border and into Croatia where they are now being held. To date there have been over 30 false arrests of Liberland citizens outside of the territory or jurisdiction of Croatia. Some LSA members have testified that they were denied food and water while in Croatian custody.
The LSA reminds the international community of the following facts
- Croatia has never claimed this land.
- This territory historically belonged to Serbia
- Serbia released a statement declaring the “newly formed state” outside of the territory of Serbia.
- As no nation claims this land other than Liberland, Croatia does not have jurisdiction over this land and can not be granted jurisdiction by Serbia or any other nation other than Liberland.
- The Liberland government has accepted and applied the Geneva Conventions and their additional protocols.
- The Liberland Red Cross is the official national society of Liberland. Its volunteers are neutral observers and humanitarian workers who are protected persons under the Geneva Conventions, of which Croatia are signatory to.
An update to this press release can be found here.
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The Liberland Settlement Association, is a Swiss NGO dedicated to the settlement and development of Liberland, and open to members from around the world.
For a background on the legal aspects of Liberland and its status as a sovereign country, see: http://liberlandpress.com/2015/05/media-fact-check-liberland-claims-liberland/
