#illegal pushbacks

Illegal pushbacks have become the norm at European borders, according to the international solidarity NGO 11.11.11. The organisation says the European Commission is turning a blind eye to human rights violations. In 2024, there were 120,457 illegal pushbacks without access to asylum procedures, often involving violence. This is according to a new 11.11.11 report based on research with human rights organisations in Hungary, Bulgaria and Croatia. Bulgaria reported the highest number of pushbacks, with 52,534 cases. Violence is rampant there, with men, women and even children in critical medical conditions being beaten, chased by police dogs, forced to undress and robbed of their belongings. They are then pushed back to Turkey, often with fatal consequences. In Greece, there were 14,482 pushbacks at sea. Many were placed in small rescue boats and abandoned in Turkish waters, leading to dozens of deaths. In Poland, where there were 13,600 pushbacks, border guards fired at migrants and used dogs, metal rods and chains to intimidate them.

The European Court of Human Rights in a landmark ruling on Tuesday found that Greece illegally deported a woman back to neighbouring Turkey, and described the use of summary expulsions, or “pushbacks”, as systematic. The decision could affect how Europe handles migrants at its borders, at a time when Greece and several European Union member states are seeking tougher immigration controls. Frontline EU member states receive financial support from Brussels to handle illegal migration. A Turkish woman — identified by her initials ARE — was awarded damages of 20,000 euros (£16,795) after the court ruled that she had been improperly expelled in 2019 after crossing into Greece, with no opportunity to make an asylum claim.

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Human Rights Watch (HRW) has asked the European Commission to take immediate action against Poland for forcing asylum seekers back to Belarus as the country prepares to take over the six-month EU presidency in January. By forcing people trying to enter the country back to Belarus without considering their protection needs, Polish authorities put asylum seekers at risk of serious abuse by Belarusian officials or of being trapped in harsh outdoor conditions that can lead to death or serious injury, HRW said in the statement released on Tuesday. “Poland’s inhumane and illegal pushbacks of people seeking safety fly in the face of its duties under national and EU law and basic humanity,” said Lydia Gall, senior Europe and Central Asia researcher at HRW. She added that Poland should set an example as the next holder of the six-month EU presidency by upholding the right to seek asylum at its borders and ensuring that people are treated humanely and their rights are protected. HRW said it had conducted in-depth interviews with 22 asylum seekers currently in Poland. Seventeen of them said they had experienced at least one rejection by Polish border officials in 2024 before successfully entering the country and being given the opportunity to apply for asylum. The individuals described a recurring pattern of ill-treatment by Polish border and law enforcement officials, including illegal pushbacks, baton charges, the use of pepper spray, and the destruction or confiscation of their phones.

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