The Council of Europe’s human rights commissioner Dunja Mijatović has warned of escalating harassment and violence targeting individuals and organizations that provide aid to asylum seekers in Europe. Her report highlights concerning trends across several countries.
Mijatović cites instances of threats, property destruction, arson and bomb attacks against refugee support groups, with a bombing of a migrant aid office in Cyprus early January exemplifying the violence risks. She notes aggressive confrontation from authorities toward helpers in some member states as well.
The commissioner links these troubling developments to member states increasingly addressing migration as a security issue, deploying military assets and surveillance tools in border zones. This approach obstructs asylum pathways, also creating a hostile environment for civil society groups supporting refugee rights and humanitarian needs.
Rescue vessels in the Mediterranean have also endured violence from Libyan patrols during interceptions of people fleeing by boat. Crew members have reported direct fire from Libyan ships while conducting rescue operations.
In addition, refugee helpers across Europe are facing a rise in invasive surveillance tactics, online threats and racist verbal abuse. Mijatović’s report highlights illegal phone tapping of aid groups by Italian prosecutors as well as spyware attacks on Greek journalists investigating migration topics.
The Council of Europe report focuses particularly on harassment issues in Hungary, Greece, Lithuania, Italy, Croatia and Poland based on extensive interviews with humanitarian groups. It underscores growing dangers for on-the-ground helpers vital to protecting asylum seeker welfare as states take more restrictive and securitized migration policies.
Mijatović argues indifference and hostility toward solidarity groups reflects erosion of fundamental rights among European nations. Her warning spotlights an urgent need for states to facilitate, not obstruct, refugee assistance efforts through policy and rhetoric changes.