Gangs send videos of the abuse to hostages’ families demanding ransoms, a BBC investigation reveals.
BBC World Service
"Whoever watches this video, I was kidnapped yesterday, they are demanding $4,000 for each one of us. They beat us day and night non-stop," says one man, with a bloodied lip, his face caked in dust. The migration route from Afghanistan to Iran, then across the border into Turkey and onto the rest of Europe, has been used for decades. In fact, I took part of the same journey myself 12 years ago when fleeing Iran for the UK, where I was granted asylum.Those trying to cross from Iran into Turkey walk for hours over dry, mountainous terrain with no trees to provide shade, making it harder to avoid security forces who patrol the area.
Softly-spoken and wearing a purple headscarf, she told me about her experience on the border when she and her family were taken hostage by a gang. Haji sold his house in Afghanistan to pay the gang and get his family released. They then tried again to get into Turkey, this time successfully.Aside from the gangs, Amina and others face another major obstacle along their route: The wall.
"It's very much related to the pushbacks - those violations - because it creates a fragile group open to all forms of abuses," he says. Ahmed's brother was kidnapped on the Iranian side of the border with his extended family when they tried to flee the Taliban last year."I said we don't have money, the kidnapper was beating my brother. We could hear it down the line," he says.Ahmed sold his family's belongings to pay for their release.
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