An investigation has uncovered allegations that Greek police recruited migrants to forcibly push other migrants back across the land border with Turkey, raising serious concerns about potential human rights violations.
According to internal documents reviewed by the BBC, the practice was reportedly organised and overseen by senior officers. These individuals, described as “mercenaries,” were allegedly involved in illegal pushbacks—operations that return migrants across borders without due legal process, which is generally prohibited under international law.
Witness accounts describe severe abuses during these operations. Migrants claim they were stripped of their belongings, beaten, and in some cases subjected to sexual violence. Reports suggest that these recruited individuals—often migrants themselves from countries such as Syria, Afghanistan, and Pakistan—were compensated with cash, confiscated valuables, or documents that could ease their movement within Greece.
The incidents are said to have taken place along the Evros River, a heavily militarised border area separating Greece from Turkey and forming part of the European Union’s external frontier. Since 2015, Greece has received over a million migrants, increasing pressure on border control systems.
A report by the fundamental rights office of Frontex details a 2023 case in which migrants were intercepted by masked men allegedly acting under the direction of Greek authorities. The report cites physical and verbal abuse, including threats and forced return to Turkey, in breach of EU human rights standards.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the BBC he was unaware of such practices, while emphasizing the country’s responsibility to secure its borders. Greek authorities have not provided detailed responses to the allegations.
Human rights bodies, including Greece’s national commission, warn that these actions—if confirmed—could represent significant violations. Dozens of similar incidents have reportedly been documented in recent years.
Some migrants who spoke about their experiences described being detained, assaulted, and forced back across the river under dangerous conditions. Others reported extreme fear and trauma, particularly involving children.
Additionally, testimonies from former participants suggest that some migrants were coerced into assisting with these operations under threat, pointing to a system that may rely on intimidation and lack of accountability.
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