Violent pushbacks, a no-go zone and hostility

In the forests that divide Poland from Belarus, those fleeing war-torn countries face a harsh crackdown. Dominika Ożyńska of Polish organisation Egala describes how many are being forced back into Belarus and cut off from humanitarian assistance, as NGOs are banned from certain border areas. All of this is taking place amid growing public and political hostility and anti-migrant rhetoric.

Since the summer of 2021, thousands of people fleeing conflict, climate disasters and poverty, have tried to cross from Belarus through the forests of the “green border” into Poland to seek asylum in the European Union (EU).

They are mainly from fragile countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, and Yemen, Sudan, Eritrea, Somalia and Ethiopia. The Belarusian government is alleged to have orchestrated this sharp increase in people attempting to cross into Europe, in retaliation for EU sanctions. But whatever its origins, it is a fact that, without safe alternative routes to Europe, Belarus has become a major transit country for people trying to seek protection in the EU. The actions of both Poland and Belarus are now making an already desperate situation much worse. 

THERE HAS BEEN AN ESCALATION OF PUSHBACKS AND VIOLENCE

Pushbacks across the border have become alarmingly common, with authorities in both Belarus and Poland forcing migrants – sometimes physically – back and forth between both countries.

In one distressing case, a 23-year-old Syrian man spent nearly a month in the Polish forest after border authorities ignored his calls for help. After contacting our organisation, in the presence of our staff and border guard officers, he asked for international protection in Poland, and was later taken to the border guards’ office. Despite following legal procedures, he was beaten, intimidated, and forced to sign documents in a language he did not understand revoking his right to asylum, before being pushed back to Belarus. 

There are reports of pushbacks even from those who have already stated that they want to apply for international protection in Europe and who should therefore not be subject to return before an individual assessment of their case under international law, according to the principle of non-refoulement. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has called for legal and humanitarian aid for those seeking protection in Europe, but this call is too often ignored (link in Polish). 

Migrants and refugees also face violence at this border. In mid-June 2024, a 35-year-old Iranian woman was reportedly shot in the eye when she was near the fence. She was hospitalised and is currently in the closed detention centre for foreigners. The woman stated that “suddenly, without any warning, a shot was fired” and said that the shot came from the Polish side, from one of two uniformed guards. However, based on the type of wound, it seems like a private (rather than an official) weapon was used. Nearly one month after the incident, there is still no official information about what happened that day and who exactly shot at the woman. The incident comes following an escalation of violence at the border. Our staff say they have supported people in the forest who have been subjected to beatings, threats, teargas and theft of their documents, phones and money. 

On July 13, a controversial law was passed in parliament that exempts the services from liability for improper use of weapons. According to this law, the use of weapons by a soldier, border guard or police officer, even in violation of the rules governing such direct coercive measures, will not be a crime. We are concerned that the law may have a direct impact on the behaviour of officers at the border. Permitting the use of live ammunition with impunity is a huge threat to refugees and migrants. 

POLAND’S ‘NO-GO ZONE’ AND THE BLOCKING OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE 

In early June, a Polish soldier tragically died at the border following a violent incident with an individual crossing the border. This sparked a harsh crackdown by the government at the border, which was already extremely dangerous for those on the move.  

On June 13, a “no-go zone” was reintroduced spanning approximately 200 metres from the border, with some areas of it extending further into Polish territory. Civilians and humanitarians are now prohibited from entering this zone, which is controlled by border forces and where pushbacks have been reported.

Cut off from humanitarian assistance, people stuck in this zone have scarce access to water, food, medical assistance or legal support. An activist from Grupa Granica, a network of organisations who provide support and assistance to migrants and refugees, has mapped out the zone and highlighted differences between the government’s initial proposal and the implemented zone (see map below).  

Egala Association, along with other humanitarian groups, has requested access to the “no-go zone” to deliver essential humanitarian aid. However, our requests are being rejected because of impractical demands for specific details, locations and schedules. Such details cannot be provided when it is impossible to predict where and when help will be needed, given the instability at the border and the fact that migrants often change locations as they attempt to cross the border. Also disclosing migrants’ and refugees’ precise locations could endanger their safety, as they would face the threat of violent pushbacks by authorities.

Without legal access to the area, organisations like ours now face impossible choices about whether to respond to requests for help, knowing our staff and volunteers may face criminalisation as a result. 

THE RISE IN ANTI-IMMIGRANT NARRATIVES IN POLAND 

This crackdown comes in a hostile context, as the Polish media and government officials increasingly frame migrants as a threat to national security, referring to them as instruments in a “hybrid war” orchestrated by Belarus. This rhetoric intensified following the death of the Polish soldier. Several statements from top politicians such as Prime Minister Donald Tusk, have emboldened security forces to use extreme measures, including the use of weapons, against migrants and refugees. 

Texts sent by the authorities to local residents also fuel fear and tensions. Any phone entering the border region receives a text message from the authorities, but it is different depending on whether the phone number is local or international: for Polish numbers it tells people to avoid the border area and report “suspicious individuals“; but for international numbers, targeting people on the move who will not usually have a Polish SIM card, the message and tone is very different (see pictures below). 

The rise in anti-immigration rhetoric has created a hostile environment and tensions between local residents, migrants and civil society organisations operating in the area. Sometimes armed paramilitary groups, are active at the border, posing additional risks to migrants and organisations like ours. These private groups conduct armed night patrols and post pictures of migrants on social media. They also use physical force, such as handcuffing migrants, before calling border guards. 

THE SITUATION OF PEOPLE ON THE MOVE WORSENS, AS HUMANITARIANS’ WORK BECOMES HARDER  

Many vulnerable migrants, including women and unaccompanied minors, now face inhumane conditions, with many ending up in hospital. All local organisations state that the restricted zone perpetuates the vulnerability of migrants. Additionally, according to We Are Monitoring (WAM), from April 29 to May 26, 382 people applied for protection during 322 interventions, the highest number recorded so far. This shows that the number of people who cross this border is rising, despite further fortification at the Polish border.  

Organisations trying to support people in need of humanitarian assistance are also facing increasing difficulties in our own operations. WAM has had its phone lines blocked and is constantly receiving phone calls from right-wing trolls, death threats on social media accounts and false phone calls/reports pretending to be from migrants that disrupt its work. 

WHAT NEEDS TO CHANGE AT THE GREEN BORDER? 

In order to provide the lifesaving assistance needed for those crossing the green border, we and other humanitarian organisations need access to the “no-go zone”. We call on international organizations and European governments to put pressure on the Polish government to allow us in. A joint international effort is required to secure these permissions and address the needs of vulnerable groups such as children, women, the elderly and persons with disabilities. We also call on INGOs not to remain silent, to use their power, credibility and privileged position to speak up on behalf of those in the forest. 

The pushbacks and violence towards those trying to seek asylum in Europe must stop now. Such actions are against international humanitarian and human rights laws. We call on the public, media and other member states to stand against these practices and for the government to put an end to these practices, without exception.  

Finally, it is crucial to stop the detention of children and improve access to medical and psychological support for all migrants who need it and particularly vulnerable groups. The experiences people face when crossing the border are having a serious impact on mental health. The Polish Migration Forum has highlighted the lack of psychological help for migrants, emphasising the need for improved support in detention centres (in particular, closed centres). International organisations must step up and ensure support to deliver these services. It is time for the Polish government to stop the arbitrary detention of asylum seekers and provide access to them for independent organisations.