EU Eastern Borders: Eighth Body Found, Thousands Protest Pushbacks, Citizens and NGOs Find Novel Ways to Deliver Aid, Germany Reports Uptick in Border Crossings

22nd October 2021 | News

Life-threatening conditions for people stuck along the EU’s eastern borders have cost the eighth life since the stand-off with Belarus began in August. In Warsaw, protesters have rallied against violent pushbacks by Polish officials. Latvia, Lithuania and Poland...

EU Afghanistan Response: One Billion Euro in Aid Pledged, UN Human Rights Council Adopts EU-led Resolution on Human Rights Situation, High-level Forum on Resettlement

15th October 2021 | News

World leaders met virtually to discuss plans to prevent the collapse of Afghanistan economy and address the unfolding humanitarian disaster in the country. The UN Human Rights Council adopts EU-led resolution on the human rights situation, and the EU organised a...

Poland: Parliament Approves ‘Legalisation’ of Pushbacks, Council of Ministers Adopt Bill to Construct Border Wall, Another Life is Lost at Border with Belarus 

15th October 2021 | News

On 14 October the Polish parliament approved a bill that de facto ‘legalises’ pushbacks and the Council of Ministers adopted a bill for the construction of a border wall at the border with Belarus, where the stand-off between the countries have claimed its seventh...

Lithuania: Frontex Serious Incident Reports Multiply, Stranded People Suffer at the Border, Camps Improved with EU Funding, Twelve States Ask EU to Fund Fences

15th October 2021 | News

Frontex has recorded “almost twenty” incidents of violations of EU law at the Lithuanian border with Belarus. Dire conditions continue for people “pushed around” at the border. Reports suggest facilities housing migrants in Lithuania have improved, partially thanks to...

Greece: Hearing Reveals Hostile Environment for Human Rights Defenders, Strategy of Deflection and Denials on Pushbacks Continue, ESTIA Cash Scheme Unravels as Government Takes Over

15th October 2021 | News

A hearing with United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders Mary Lawlor revealed that Greek civil society organisations are forced to operate under hostile conditions of harassment and intimidation imposed by authorities as well as far-right activists....

Atlantic Route and Spain: At Least 1,400 People Rescued over Seven Days, Spanish Authorities Arrest Smugglers, Ferry Returns to Algeria Risk Refoulement

15th October 2021 | News

Seven days of consecutive rescue operations off Spain’s Canary Islands have saved at least 1,400 people is distress at sea since 8 October. Spanish authorities have arrested 16 people charged with smuggling asylum seekers from the Canaries to the Spanish mainland. The...