Ein junger Ire landete nach einer Schlägerei in einem kroatischen Gefängnis; Familie: "Sie geben ihm kein Insulin, es ist beunruhigend"

A 22-year-old Irish man named Rory Byrne has been detained in Croatia after a confrontation with another group of young people, leading his family to urgently request medical attention due to his type 1 diabetes. According to reports from local media outlets such as Jutarnji list and N1 Hrvatska, Byrne was traveling in Croatia with a group of friends when they became involved in a brief altercation. Police intervened in civilian attire, resulting in Byrne and one of his friends being arrested and taken into custody.

The situation escalated quickly, with Byrne's mother, Niamh Byrne, stating that all of her son’s friends returned home without him. She described the incident as a case of “passing by the wrong place at the wrong time.” Niamh emphasized that since his arrest, Byrne has had limited access to insulin, despite his friends bringing the medication to police stations over several days. She expressed concern about the lack of proper medical care he has received while in detention.

Byrne’s father traveled to Croatia on Tuesday to visit him. He was granted a ten-minute visit under supervision, through a Plexiglass barrier, according to Niamh. During this visit, Byrne reportedly told his father that he was not receiving adequate medical attention in custody. As a result, the family urgently requested his transfer to a hospital. On the same day, Byrne was briefly moved to a hospital but was soon returned to prison.

Niamh described the situation as “extremely distressing,” noting that she believes the authorities have merely gone through the motions of fulfilling formalities rather than addressing the urgent need for medical care. She also mentioned that the Croatian prison authorities initially claimed that Byrne refused consular assistance, which the family strongly disputes. They fear that this refusal might prevent them from communicating with Irish officials regarding the severity of injuries Byrne may have sustained during his detention.

The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been made aware of the situation and is providing consular support, as confirmed in a statement to The Journal. However, Niamh criticized the bureaucratic hurdles faced by the Irish government, stating that despite efforts from various departments and agencies, they encounter a complete blockage within the Croatian prison system.

Local Irish representative Conor McGuinness has also spoken out, describing Byrne as “very, very ill” and calling on the Department of Foreign Affairs to intervene immediately to ensure Byrne receives appropriate medical care and that his rights are respected. McGuinness stated that Byrne must be transferred to a hospital because he has been without insulin for several days. He emphasized that the family is understandably distressed and that every effort should be made to independently verify Byrne’s condition and protect his rights.

The situation remains highly concerning, particularly given the critical nature of Byrne’s health condition. His family continues to urge immediate action to secure his release from custody and ensure he receives the necessary medical treatment. As the case unfolds, both the Irish and Croatian authorities will face mounting pressure to address the humanitarian concerns raised by Byrne’s family and to uphold international standards of detainee welfare.