Seeking asylum in Cyprus, Poland, and Bulgaria has become increasingly difficult due to the alarming rise in pushbacks at the external borders of the European Union. Many migrants are experiencing harsh treatment as they attempt to find safety, with their stories revealing a disturbing trend of human rights violations.
John, a 34-year-old from Nigeria, arrived at the Aglantzia camp in Cyprus in July. After three months, he and others from Cameroon, Sudan, Syria, and Afghanistan remained in the camp, having been denied the chance to apply for asylum. They were forcibly returned by the police to this makeshift UN facility after their initial attempts to reach the southern part of the island.
When InfoMigrants visited the camp in late August, migrants shared their harrowing experiences. Ibrahim from Sudan described how police officers forced them to sit on the ground, guns pointed at them, before ordering them back north. After a long trek, they ended up in the buffer zone, a place that has become a refuge yet reflects their grim reality.
Migrants in Cyprus often seek access to the EU asylum system in the south, as the Turkish-controlled north lacks an adequate process. Pushbacks, as defined by the UN human rights office, involve measures taken by states that result in the summation force of migrants back to their origin, denying them the chance to apply for asylum. This practice contradicts the principle of non-refoulement in the 1951 Refugee Convention, which protects individuals from being returned to places where their lives or freedoms are at risk.
In just eight months, approximately 9,000 pushbacks were recorded at the Polish border with Belarus, showcasing the rising trend of expelling migrants seeking safety. Azzedine, originally from Sudan, recounted being repeatedly stopped by Polish border guards. He stated, “The border guards beat migrants, break phones, and spray us in the eyes with gas.” After spending three months navigating the treacherous Belarusian forests, Azzedine was finally rescued by a local NGO.
Similar situations occur at the Bulgaria-Turkey border, where reports indicate that border guards often resort to violence. Migrants have described being forced to swim back to Turkey and facing dog attacks from Bulgarian authorities. Investigative reports reveal a concerning pattern of violence and pushbacks in this region.
During a visit to Svilengrad, a Bulgarian town near the border, a group of four young Moroccan men shared their experiences of being pushed back multiple times. Amine, 24, stated that the police confiscated their phones, money, and clothes during each encounter. According to a Bulgarian Ministry of the Interior report, over 10,000 cases of pushbacks were recorded in early 2024 alone.
Despite numerous reports and investigations highlighting the illegality of pushbacks, they continue unabated. Matthieu Tardis, an immigration researcher, notes the diminished response from European institutions, allowing member states to act without fear of consequences. Poland, for example, has declared certain border areas as “no-go zones,” preventing NGOs and journalists from witnessing the reality of pushbacks, which contributes to their normalization.
The EU’s response to these practices is increasingly ambiguous. The Asylum and Migration Pact adopted in April 2024 proposes a more restrictive approach for asylum seekers at borders, particularly for those from countries deemed to have low recognition rates for refugee status. These changes reinforce a legal fiction of non-entry, further complicating the situation for migrants in need of protection.
In light of these developments, the situation at EU borders raises critical questions about the treatment of migrants and the adherence to international human rights standards. The ongoing pushbacks represent a concerning trend that could lead to further violations of asylum seekers’ rights as they seek refuge in Europe.