Pushbacks on the European borders: Unravelling the Perils Along Migration Journeys in Europe

Some fleeing from conflict, persecution, natural disasters, or looking for better ways to take care of their families and build better futures, thousands of people leave their homes. Only a small percentage of those end at Europe’s doorstep – as most displaced remain close to their home.

However, as migrants arrive hopeful at European borders to seeking safety, they are often met with pushbacks at borders, where they are forcibly turned away and are subjected to violence and human rights abuses.

This article aims to delve into the complexities of the European migration routes and the harsh realities that come with pushbacks at the borders.

While pushbacks are illegal, they are widespread and are being systematically used for Europe’s internal and external borders. Countries are using violent and inhumane methods to send vulnerable people back across the border they have attempted to cross.

According to the recently published Protecting Rights at Borders (PRAB) report: “Pushbacks at Europe’s borders: a continuously ignored crisis”, more than 28,609 migrants faced pushbacks and other human rights violations at European borders in 2023 – more than 8400 of which taking place within the last four months of year alone.

While the numbers documented by PRAB during the past four months may seem a high number, it is evident that these represent only a small sample of the actual number of illegal pushbacks at European borders.

Violence and mistreatment at the borders

For years, violence and abuse against migrants and asylum seekers by border officials have been documented by several human rights organisations.

People have told stories of facing violence and beatings, and being held in crammed places, for hours and days, without access to their basic needs.

A Syrian who faced push back at the Belarusian borders shared his story; “They found us, and they were beating us and spraying us at the same time. (...) And they beat the lady, woman. They were trying to attack kids, but we did not let them. (…) They were beating us because we were defending the kids and they used rubber bullets, and they took us back to the border.”

The struggle did not end there – the Syrian man and those with him continued to be treated this way until they had no choice but to go back.

This inhumane treatment is not a rarity but has unfortunately become the common practice. According to the PRAB report, 83% of arrivals at the Croatia – Bosnia and Herzegovina border experienced degrading treatment, and the figure stood at 61% for France – Italy border.

Left with no belongings and no way to safety

As migrants navigate perilous journeys in search of safety and opportunity, they find themselves confronted by the brutal reality of pushbacks and forced returns.

These forced returns do not only involve physical violence, but leave individuals stranded and stripped of their belongings.

Many migrants have spoken about personal belongings being confiscated and being left behind, vulnerable and without viable paths to safety.

A Moroccan man tells his story as he tried to cross the borders into Croatia

"We are three men from Morocco, and we crossed the border yesterday in Hadzin Potok. We walked 6 hours, and we came near Slunj in Croatia. In a forest near Slunj, one policeman stopped us.

He called more police. Soon, there came 2 more policemen. They searched us and our things. They took our mobile phones.

Some phones they broke and then returned, while some phones they kept. Then, there came a van with border police. We had to sit in the van. When we came in the van, there were already men, children and families from Afghanistan and Syria in the van.

They drove us all back to border near Hadzin Potok. There, at border, two more policemen were waiting us, although there were already three policemen in the van.

All of us, including us three men from Morocco and five men and three boys from Afghanistan, had to come out from the van except families from Syria.

There, at border, they were beating us and punching us all. Then, we had to come back to Bosnia, while they drove families from Syria in the van and they probably drove them to camp in Zagreb."

Read more stories and the full report

These stories are mirrored in countless stories where vulnerable individuals, having faced adversity and danger to escape their home countries, are now left with no resources or means to secure refuge.

The abandonment of migrants without belongings and devoid of a way to safety highlights the urgent need for humane and compassionate responses to the complex challenges posed by migration, urging a collective re-evaluation of policies and practices that respect the dignity and rights of those seeking a haven in Europe.

For more information, you can read the full PRAB report here: “Pushbacks at Europe’s borders: a continuously ignored crisis”.