The Polish government has signed a controversial law allowing the temporary suspension of migrants' asylum applications for 60 days, raising concerns among human rights organizations. Prime Minister Tusk defended the move as necessary for national security while facing criticism over potential violations of international obligations.
Poland Enacts Asylum Suspension Amid Rising Border Tensions
Poland Enacts Asylum Suspension Amid Rising Border Tensions
Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk announced a temporary suspension of asylum rights for migrants at the Belarus border, amid escalating migration crises.
Article Text:
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has recently declared that his government will temporarily halt the right of migrants arriving from Belarus to apply for asylum. This decision follows the signing of a contentious bill into law by President Andrzej Duda, aimed at allowing Polish authorities to suspend asylum rights for a duration of up to 60 days.
In his statements, Tusk emphasized the need for swift implementation of the law, while Duda articulated that the alterations are essential for bolstering security at Poland's borders. However, this legislation has drawn heavy criticism from various rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, which has called for the European Union to take legal measures against Poland if the law is enacted. The group previously urged the Polish parliament to reject the bill, arguing that it contradicts Poland's international and EU responsibilities, and could effectively close off the Poland-Belarus border, particularly where unlawful pushbacks are already occurring.
Previously, the Polish government indicated that the suspension would temporarily apply only to individuals deemed a threat to state security, citing instances of large groups attempting to unlawfully storm the border. Exemptions are planned for vulnerable individuals, including unaccompanied minors, pregnant women, the elderly, and those at a credible risk of severe harm if returned. Citizens of countries suspected of manipulating migration crises, such as Belarus, will also be exempt from this suspension.
In response to the backlash from human rights organizations, Tusk asserted that the conversation isn't about violating human rights or the right to asylum; he claims it’s about denying asylum applications to those who illegally cross into Poland in orchestrated groups encouraged by the Belarusian regime.
Since 2021, Poland, along with Lithuania, Latvia, and Finland, has experienced a significant surge in illegal crossings from Belarus and Russia. To address this influx, Polish authorities have dispatched thousands of military personnel and border guards to secure the frontier and have constructed a robust 5.5-meter-high steel fence along 186 kilometers of the border, where numerous migrants have often been left stranded.
Human rights organizations report that over one hundred fatalities have occurred at the borders between Belarus and Poland, as well as Latvia and Lithuania, since 2021. Nations along the EU eastern front, alongside the European Commission, have accused Belarusian and Russian authorities of weaponizing migration strategies to destabilize the EU.
Poland's Prime Minister Donald Tusk has recently declared that his government will temporarily halt the right of migrants arriving from Belarus to apply for asylum. This decision follows the signing of a contentious bill into law by President Andrzej Duda, aimed at allowing Polish authorities to suspend asylum rights for a duration of up to 60 days.
In his statements, Tusk emphasized the need for swift implementation of the law, while Duda articulated that the alterations are essential for bolstering security at Poland's borders. However, this legislation has drawn heavy criticism from various rights organizations, including Human Rights Watch, which has called for the European Union to take legal measures against Poland if the law is enacted. The group previously urged the Polish parliament to reject the bill, arguing that it contradicts Poland's international and EU responsibilities, and could effectively close off the Poland-Belarus border, particularly where unlawful pushbacks are already occurring.
Previously, the Polish government indicated that the suspension would temporarily apply only to individuals deemed a threat to state security, citing instances of large groups attempting to unlawfully storm the border. Exemptions are planned for vulnerable individuals, including unaccompanied minors, pregnant women, the elderly, and those at a credible risk of severe harm if returned. Citizens of countries suspected of manipulating migration crises, such as Belarus, will also be exempt from this suspension.
In response to the backlash from human rights organizations, Tusk asserted that the conversation isn't about violating human rights or the right to asylum; he claims it’s about denying asylum applications to those who illegally cross into Poland in orchestrated groups encouraged by the Belarusian regime.
Since 2021, Poland, along with Lithuania, Latvia, and Finland, has experienced a significant surge in illegal crossings from Belarus and Russia. To address this influx, Polish authorities have dispatched thousands of military personnel and border guards to secure the frontier and have constructed a robust 5.5-meter-high steel fence along 186 kilometers of the border, where numerous migrants have often been left stranded.
Human rights organizations report that over one hundred fatalities have occurred at the borders between Belarus and Poland, as well as Latvia and Lithuania, since 2021. Nations along the EU eastern front, alongside the European Commission, have accused Belarusian and Russian authorities of weaponizing migration strategies to destabilize the EU.
