Warsaw, Poland – The Polish government has made the decision to temporarily suspend the right of migrants arriving in Poland through its border with Belarus to apply for asylum. This move comes as part of a new law signed by President Andrzej Duda allowing Polish authorities to suspend asylum applications for up to 60 days at a time, as announced by Prime Minister Donald Tusk.
The controversial bill was swiftly adopted in an effort to strengthen security on Poland’s borders. Critics, including rights groups like Human Rights Watch, have condemned the law, calling on the EU to take legal action if it is enacted. The group argues that the bill violates Poland’s international and EU obligations and could lead to the complete closure of the Poland-Belarus border, where reports of unlawful and abusive pushbacks have emerged.
The government has clarified that the suspension will only apply to individuals deemed to pose a threat to state security, such as large groups attempting to breach the border. Certain individuals, including unaccompanied minors, pregnant women, the elderly, or those at risk of harm if returned, will be exempt from the suspension. Additionally, citizens of countries accused of manipulating migration, like Belarus, will also be exempt.
In response to criticism from human rights groups, Tusk defended the law, emphasizing that it is not a violation of human rights or the right to asylum but rather a measure to address organized border crossings initiated by Belarusian authorities. Since 2021, Poland, along with neighboring countries like Lithuania, Latvia, and Finland, has experienced a significant surge in illegal border crossings from Belarus and Russia.
To manage the influx of migrants, Polish authorities have deployed thousands of troops and border guards and constructed a tall steel fence along a 186 km stretch of the border. Tragic reports have emerged of over one hundred deaths on the borders between Belarus and Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia, further escalating tensions between EU member states and Belarus and Russia over accusations of weaponizing migration to destabilize the bloc.