BRUSSELS — Polish border forces are reportedly engaging in the systematic pushback of migrants into Belarus, with alarming accounts emerging of individuals being beaten, stripped of their clothing, and abandoned in forests without food, shelter, or medical assistance, according to a recent report from Oxfam and the Polish NGO Egala published on Tuesday.
The report, titled “Brutal Barriers,” highlights widespread human rights violations at the Poland-Belarus border, including instances of migrants being shot with rubber bullets, attacked by dogs, and subjected to contaminated water laced with pepper spray prior to being expelled.
Egala activists shared the harrowing testimony of a 22-year-old Syrian national who was left naked to freeze without shoes. Another group discovered a pregnant woman in distress, bleeding and in dire need of medical care, who had been forcibly returned towards the border. The report notes that some pregnant women have experienced miscarriages due to the denial of assistance.
“Pushbacks at the Poland-Belarus border are widespread and systemic,” stated Egala Advocacy Lead Aleksandra Gulińska. “We consistently encounter individuals in the forest who have been forcibly returned to Belarus by Polish authorities.”
In spite of these serious allegations, the European Commission allocated €52 million in December to enhance surveillance and infrastructure along Poland’s eastern border. Commission President Ursula von der Leyen emphasized that Poland and its neighboring states are at the forefront of facing “hybrid threats” originating from Belarus and Russia.
Belarus has been central in directing migrants towards the European Union, ostensibly to destabilize the bloc, with state-run travel agencies providing visas and transport. Upon reaching the border, Belarusian security forces escort these migrants toward Polish territory while obstructing their return.
Conditions for those pushed back to Belarus are reported to be dire. The report describes the situation as “hell,” citing instances of electrocution, waterboarding, and extreme violence inflicted by Belarusian forces. Women and girls face heightened risks of sexual violence, with reports of rape occurring before they are forced back toward Poland.
When Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk took over from the previous right-wing populist government in 2023, many hoped his more EU-aligned stance would ease border policies. However, Tusk’s administration has tightened regulations, reintroduced exclusion zones, and passed legislation permitting the temporary suspension of asylum rights. Migration remains a crucial issue ahead of the upcoming presidential election in May.
While Brussels has refrained from confronting Tusk’s government regarding the pushbacks, it is contemplating legal action over Poland’s refusal to accept asylum-seekers under the EU Migration Pact, which mandates member states to either accept a quota of asylum-seekers or contribute to a financial solidarity mechanism. Recently, the Commission warned Warsaw of potential penalties for non-compliance.
So far, Warsaw has remained steadfast in its stance.
“Poland will not implement any migration pact or any provision of such projects that would lead to Poland’s forced acceptance of migrants. This is definitive,” Tusk asserted in February, affirming that Poland is already under significant migration pressure from Belarus and is hosting a large influx of Ukrainian refugees.
Rights organizations caution that Poland’s actions — alongside Brussels’ reluctance to intervene — are setting a perilous precedent.
“The EU must cease funding this pushback policy and abandon any plans that jeopardize lives,” said Sarah Redd, Oxfam’s Ukraine advocacy lead. “This transcends politics — it’s fundamentally about human rights.”
This story has been updated to correct Sarah Redd’s title.
