UN alarmed by increasing violence against refugees in Europe

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Monday said it is concerned about rising “incidents of violence and serious human rights violations” against refugees and migrants in Europe.

The warning from Commissioner Filippo Grandi details a growing number of reports of European countries seeking to push back would-be asylum-seekers who have legal right to seek refuge.

“Although many incidents go unreported for various reasons, UNHCR has interviewed thousands of people across Europe who were pushed back and reported a disturbing pattern of threats, intimidation, violence and humiliation. At sea, people report being left adrift in life rafts or sometimes even forced directly into the water, showing a callous lack of regard for human life,” Grandi wrote.

“Equally horrific practices are frequently reported at land borders, with consistent testimonies of people being stripped of their clothes and shoes and brutally pushed back in harsh weather conditions.”

The statement comes as the U.S. has warned a Russian invasion of Ukraine could spur as many as 1 million to 5 million people to flee the country.

Europe has also seen an influx of some Afghan refugees who escaped on charter flights amid the Taliban takeover of the country.

But Grandi specifically points to incidents in Greece, where the UNHCR recorded more than 500 reported incidents of informal returns, including towing boats full of migrants and leaving them in Turkish waters. 

Croatia and Romania have been accused of similar pushbacks.

Grandi called the practice “legally and morally unacceptable.” 

“We fear these deplorable practices now risk becoming normalized and policy-based. They reinforce a harmful and unnecessary ‘fortress Europe’ narrative. The reality is that the majority of the world’s refugees are hosted by low- and middle-income countries with far fewer resources, often bordering countries of origin in crisis,” he wrote.

Greece denied the reports uncovered by a Lighthouse News investigation last fall.

“Illegal sea crossings are highly dangerous and they should be prevented in accordance with the 2016 Joint Statement, which the EU needs to ensure is properly enforced. Europe remains the target of criminal gangs who are exploiting people who wish to enter the EU illegally,” Greek migration minister Notis Mitarachi tweeted in October.

“We make no apology for our continued focus on breaking up these human trafficking operations, and protecting Europe’s border.”