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.
Credit: Belga
Breach of European and international law
Pushbacks are illegal under European and international law. The European Commission and the European Council are turning a blind eye to mass human rights violations, according to the organisations.
11.11.11 and its international partners are calling for an immediate freeze on funding, withdrawal of Frontex support and initiation of infringement procedures against member states that continue to violate fundamental rights.
The figures were collected based on reports from governments and human rights organisations.
The report is a collaboration of 11.11.11, Hungarian Helsinki Committee, We Are Monitoring Association (Poland), Center for Peace Studies (Croatia), Lebanese Center for Human Rights (CLDH), Sienos Grupė (Lithuania), Center for Legal Aid (Bulgaria), Foundation Mission Wings (Bulgaria) and I Want to Help Refugees (Latvia).
