According to the Swedish daily newspaper Dagens ETC, border regimes implemented across Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland since 2021 have relied on systematic pushbacks and restricted access zones to curb state-engineered migration from Belarus.
The Evolution of Border Regimes Along the EU-Belarus Frontier
Four-meter-high metal fences topped with barbed wire now span the 1 250-kilometer border separating the European Union from Belarus, passing through Latvia, Lithuania, and Poland. According to reporting by Dagens ETC, these physical barriers were erected in response to the 2021 migration crisis, when the government of Alexander Lukashenko began issuing visas to travelers as a political pressure tactic following EU sanctions.
Lithuania was the first member state to encounter the influx in the summer of 2021. According to official statistics cited in the reporting, Lithuania has returned nearly 1,1 tūkst. individuals to Belarus this year alone, with cumulative figures exceeding 25 tūkst. since 2021, though many individuals account for multiple crossing attempts. Border officials, such as Šalčininkų district outpost chief Žydrūnas Vaikasas, maintain that the infrastructure and enhanced technical surveillance—including vibration sensors designed to detect underground tunneling—have created a virtually impassable barrier.
Legal Battles Over Pushback Policies and International Law
The practice of immediately returning border-crossers without individual asylum assessments, known as pushbacks, was formally codified into Lithuanian law in 2023, following similar moves by Poland and Latvia. However, according to international organizations cited in the reporting, these measures potentially violate international law. Amnesty International has characterized such legislation as a “green light to tortures,” while Annika Sandlund, representative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) for the Nordic and Baltic countries, stated to the Baltic news agency BNS that individuals retain the right to individual asylum procedures regardless of how they arrived.
The legality of these actions is currently being tested at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, which has been reviewing three cases concerning Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland since 2021. One notable case involves four Cuban citizens who faced repeated pushbacks at the Lithuanian border before ultimately being admitted, granted the right to apply for asylum, and awarded refugee status. Meanwhile, European governments remain divided: countries like Norway, Finland, and Denmark have submitted written statements supporting the right to enforce pushbacks, while Sweden submitted a statement last winter arguing that the European Convention on Human Rights should not fully apply to individuals arriving from Belarus during hybrid state operations.
Human Toll and Accountability in the Border Zone
Access to the border corridors remains tightly restricted. Lithuania enforces a five-kilometer restricted access zone, Latvia a two-kilometer zone, and Poland a zone reaching up to four kilometers, where unauthorized journalists, humanitarian volunteers, and researchers face fines. Organizations like “Sienos Grupė,” co-founded by activity coordinator Mantautas Šulskus, operate near these restricted boundaries to document missing persons and assist stranded migrants.
According to data compiled in the reporting, 116 deaths were officially confirmed in the border regions of Lithuania, Poland, and Latvia between the summer of 2021 and March 2024, though the true figure is believed to be significantly higher. Among the victims was 32-year-old Samrinas from Sri Lanka, whose body was discovered near the Neris River in August 2022, five days after border guards forced him back across the Belarusian border.
Broader Geopolitical Context and EU Policy Shifts
However, the terminology surrounding the practice shifted significantly in 2021, with terms like “instrumentalized migration” entering official EU lexicons.
Recent policy developments reflect this hardening stance. Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk recently asserted that Spain should adopt Poland’s strict border regime to protect the Schengen area, mirroring rhetoric from right-wing populist leaders across Europe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is instrumentalized migration?
According to migration research and EU policy documents, instrumentalized migration refers to the state-sponsored orchestration and encouragement of migrants and refugees to cross international borders as a tool of political pressure or hybrid warfare.
Are pushbacks legal under international law?
According to the UNHCR and human rights organizations cited in the reporting, immediate pushbacks without individual evaluations of asylum claims potentially violate international law and the principle of non-refoulement, despite being codified into national legislation in Lithuania, Latvia, and Poland.
How many deaths have been recorded at the EU-Belarus border?
According to documented regional figures, at least 116 deaths were confirmed across the Lithuanian, Polish, and Latvian border corridors between the summer of 2021 and March 2024, with advocacy groups noting that the actual number is likely higher due to unrecovered bodies.
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