Brutal Barriers
Pushbacks, violence and the violation of human rights on the Poland–Belarus border
In the forest at the Poland-Belarus border, thousands of people on the move are caught in a dire situation, facing violence from authorities on both sides in an area marked by a human rights crisis.
Oxfam and its Polish human rights partner the Egala Association, recently published a report called Brutal Barriers.
The report highlights the challenges faced by people on the move navigating the swamplands between Belarus and Poland in search of safety. It draws on evidence, testimonies from Egala volunteers, and the voices of those seeking protection to shed light on the human impact of restrictive and inhumane border policies.
Please note that this report includes descriptions and images that may cause distress, including images of open wounds and reference to physical and sexual violence. While sharing these experiences is necessary to raise awareness of the situation for people crossing the border, please take into consideration your own wellbeing needs when reading this report.
“Imagine a 16-year-old girl trying to cross many borders, having no family with her. Never travelled alone before, never left her country. She has no idea how the European forests look like, how the route really looks like, how there is no kindness, how many miles you have to walk through and how many of these miles you have to walk alone. This is where my story about the border begins.”
Sainab, 18-year-old girl from Somalia, who crossed the Poland-Belarus border in 2023
An escalating humanitarian crisis
Since mid-2021, Poland’s border with Belarus has become the site of an escalating humanitarian and human rights crisis. Belarus began issuing visas to third-country nationals as part of a route to the EU, drawing many from conflict-affected regions in Africa and the Middle East. With few safe options to seek asylum, thousands have attempted to cross the heavily militarized border, risking life-threatening conditions in the forests.
No-entry zone at the Poland-Belarus border (implemented on 13 June 2024)
No-entry zone at the Poland-Belarus border (implemented on 13 June 2024)
The ‘green border,’ part of which is stretching through the dense Białowieża Forest, is a treacherous mix of natural and man-made barriers, including rivers, razor wire, and surveillance technology. People stranded there endure extreme temperatures, lack of food and water, and abuse from authorities on both sides.
Poland has prioritized violation of human rights over humanitarian solutions, adopting an illegal policy of pushbacks from the start. Over the past four years, the situation has worsened with increasing militarization and physical barriers, including a 5-meter fence built in 2022 that only led to more injuries. While there was hope for change following the 2023 Polish elections, conditions continued to deteriorate throughout 2024. Violence against people on the move surged, and under the new administration of Donald Tusk, even more restrictive laws were enacted.
‘It’s June, the middle of summer, and I just met a man with first-degree hypothermia. He was emaciated and he hadn’t drunk anything… which made him more vulnerable to hypothermia... A week or two ago, we found a man in the forest alone. He didn’t have a phone, his group had left him as he wasn’t able to walk – his legs were sore and swollen from trench foot. If we hadn’t found him by chance, I don’t know what his fate would have been.’
Pushbacks in Poland involve forcibly returning people to Belarus without examining their asylum requests or following formal deportation processes, by transporting them to the borderline and forcing them to cross – usually outside of official border crossing points, and often in dense forests or swamps.
In 2024, organizations at the border encountered 1,555 people who had experienced at least one pushback, with a total of 3,183 pushbacks recorded.
Behind the Polish border fence, in the area called Sistema, (also referred to as a death zone), people face hunger, severe exhaustion, dehydration, stomach problems (caused by drinking contaminated water from swamps), trench foot, frostbite and hypothermia.
They are also at risk of violence from Belarusian uniformed personnel, and have no access to legal procedures.
Being trapped in this area for prolonged periods significantly increases risks of gender-based violence and death.
“It’s a trap. They can’t move from that side, or from this side – they have no way out. Sometimes it happens that people spend a week there and then manage to pass, but sometimes they spend four weeks, six weeks, two months. We meet people and we don’t know how many pushbacks they’ve survived, how much time they’ve spent there – and how many of their loved ones are buried there as well.”
People on the move at the border: Who is trying to cross?
In 2024, 5,615 people requested assistance of humanitarian organisations, including 686 women and 469 children.
“I am from Sudan. I used to live in Nyala, in South Darfur. I had to move out of my homeland because civil war broke out there. […] It was a difficult time for us, we fell asleep and woke up to the roar of gunfire. We saw the wounded and the dead, we saw houses destroyed […] So I had to leave, although if it hadn't been for the war - I would never have left.”
Mubarak’s story
Mubarak fled his home in Sudan after war erupted in April 2023. In neighboring Chad, he was able to buy a Russian visa, traveled and reached Belarus, hoping to find safety in Europe. A few days later, he reached the forests on the border with Poland and began walking west with a group of other people like him, of varying nationalities.
The group was stopped by Belarusian border guards in the area near the Polish border. “They took all our food, drinks and phones and told us to go towards Poland,” Mubarak says. After reaching the border, the group waited in the forest, trying to choose the right moment to avoid Polish patrols and cross the fence.
On the 14th day, Mubarak and his group crossed into Poland but were quickly confronted by border guards.
"As we approached the first buildings, we were surprised by a border guard patrol who used a bang grenade against us... We told them that we were asking for international protection in Poland. However, they did not take us to the police station, but straight to the border. There they searched us, beat us, and then opened the door in the fence, sprayed gas in our eyes and threw us back to Belarus."
On his second attempt, he managed to cross but once again encountered border guards. This time, he was struck with a baton, his eye swelling shut.
“Headlights flashed, a ‘Stop! Stop!’ command sounded through a megaphone, some of us fled, some of us stopped. I stopped. The Border Guard ran up to us and beat us, completely without reason. I was hit in the eye with a baton.”
Mubarak pushed his attacker away and ran, stumbling with difficulty through the forest due to his injured eye. He managed to lose the Border Guards and found one of his companions. The two hid together in the dark until 4am.
His eye was swollen and bleeding, so he contacted Egala, a humanitarian group, who treated his injury, provided food, water, and new clothes. Mubarak asked for their help to apply for protection. With their assistance, he was able to apply and was taken to a border guards station, hospital, and detention center. He believes without Egala’s help, he wouldn’t have been able to seek asylum, and would probably be pushed back to Belarus again.
Left: Mubarak was met in the forest by Egala’s team, where they treated his eye injury and assisted him in applying for international protection in Poland. Right: Mubarak at the conference sharing his story.
“I was walking through the forest. I was checking my back all the time to look for Polish soldiers, even when I was many miles from the border, I was afraid they would catch me. I was close to the river so I was going through a lot of mud and swamps. It was getting darker, when I entered another swamp. I hoped it would end soon, but instead I was walking deeper and deeper into the water.” – Sainab, 18-year-old girl from Somalia
Violence in Poland
For years, people crossing the Polish border have reported violence and abuse from border guards and soldiers. They describe being intimidated and mocked, beaten - even those with existing injuries. Tear gas and pepper spray are often used, and dogs are set on them. Some have been forced to crawl through razor wire fences or wade through freezing rivers. Guards take their clothes, give them water laced with pepper spray, and shoot rubber bullets or stun them with electric guns. People have also shared stories of derogatory, humiliating, and racist behavior they’ve experienced.
There are serious concerns about the use of firearms at the border as in 2024 Polish soldiers and border guards at the border fired thousands of rounds of ammunition as ‘warning shots.’ In mid-June 2024, an Iranian woman was shot in the eye, reportedly without warning, from the Polish side of the border fence.
An elderly man, traveling with a small group of five others, recalled being stopped by a Polish border guard. He said that, without warning, the guard beat him, smashing his glasses and phone, then pushed him back into Belarus. After attempting to cross into Poland again, the group was found by humanitarian workers. The man was in bad shape, with his body temperature dangerously low at just 31°C.
It feels like the services have been given a green light, they’ve been given praise for being violent, for not following the rules – and that makes it so. It just raises our concerns about the safety of the people in the hospital and in the forest.’
'Hell is happening there'
Violence in Belarus
Very often the first thing we hear from patients [we assist at hospitals in Poland] is “no Belarus, no Belarus.” That’s the most important thing for them. We have to assure them we’ll do our best – but we have no guarantees, of course.’
The conditions in Belarus are difficult to fully grasp, but the testimonies of those who crossed into Poland reveal a terrifying reality. People caught by Belarusian forces in the forest face violence, extortion, and the loss of basic necessities like food, water, and shelter.
Belarusian officials often prevent people from leaving the border area or returning to Minsk, forcing them to attempt crossing into Poland as their only escape.
Reports of brutality by Belarusian officials are widespread: people describe being held in camps or warehouses, denied basic care, and having their belongings stolen. They face threats with firearms, long forced walks, beatings, attacks by dogs, and even torture, including waterboarding and electrocution.
A man shows scars from dog bites sustained on the Belarusian side of the border.
A man shows scars from dog bites sustained on the Belarusian side of the border.
‘Reports of violence on the Belarusian side are often drastic - people are punished and beaten for failing to cross into Poland. We see many wounds from being bitten by dogs, marks of beatings. Sometimes we hear stories about sexual violence.’
No matter whether someone has a valid asylum claim based on persecution in their home country, it's clear that pushing people back into the violence they face in Belarus is illegal and inhumane. Poland is bound by international law that prohibits sending people back to places where they could be in serious danger of torture or harm.
The actions of Polish and Belarusian authorities, including pushbacks, are directly putting lives at risk, by leaving people in the wilderness, without food, water or aid, in some cases while suffering a life-threatening illness or injury.
From mid-2021 until November 2024, organizations operating at the border have been able to verify at least 88 deaths of people on the move at the border.
Increasingly dangerous narratives
In recent years, successive Polish governments and media have fueled increasingly securitized and militarized narratives about people at the border with Belarus. The Polish government has framed people crossing the border as being part of aggression by Belarus, referring to them as instruments in a ‘hybrid war'.
A “narrative of fear” has taken hold, painting people on the move as a threat to national security. As this story spread, interest in the real human stories, and the situation at the border was largely ignored. But for those working on the ground - humanitarian workers and activists - what they see every day tells a completely different story - the people they encounter do not act aggressively, and the majority do wish to claim asylum.
‘They [the Tusk government] are starting to copy the narrative of hybrid war; this is what Belarus and Russia want. […] This is the justification for violation of rights – they are not asylum seekers, they are not humans, they are only weapons.’
‘Probably the most difficult thing at the moment is what’s happening in the media around this whole story. Talking about how aid can be something bad. No, aid is always something good. I don’t know how you can even think otherwise.’
"Legalising" the illegal
Since the very beginning, in August 2021, the Polish government attempted to ‘legalize’ the practice of pushbacks, enacting two Ordinances giving the Border Guard the power to reject any application for international protection without examination and without the opportunity to appeal.
Despite these developments at a domestic legislative level, the practice of pushbacks remains illegal – under international law, European law and the Polish Constitution.
Since June 2024, the Polish government has been enacting new draconian laws. That month, they reintroduced a 90-day “no-go” zone, blocking aid groups, activists, and independent journalist from the border. This restriction has been repeatedly extended and remains in place as of March 2025.
A sign marks the edge of the exclusion zone. It reads ‘Restricted Area. Entry prohibited'.
A sign marks the edge of the exclusion zone. It reads ‘Restricted Area. Entry prohibited'.
In July 2024, the Polish government passed a new law giving uniformed personnel at the border broad protection from prosecution for the use of firearms.
The latest addition to these restrictive measures is the temporary suspension of the right to claim asylum, approved by the Polish Senate in March 2025. This law directly violates Poland's international obligations, including its commitment to the the right to asylum. Without a clear legal process for deporting those whose asylum requests are denied, or a way to monitor these cases, the policy is likely to lead to more illegal pushbacks and less transparency from Polish authorities. This gives border guards unchecked power, discouraging people in distress from seeking help. As a result, the risks of death, exploitation, extortion, and gender-based violence are likely to rise.
The law to introduce measures for ‘temporary and territorial suspension of the right to asylum’ is likely to significantly worsen the current situation at the border, increasing the denial of asylum rights and placing more people at risk.
A 14-year-old Sudanese boy is handcuffed after requesting international protection in Poland in the presence of border guards and with the assistance of Egala workers. The boy was pushed back to Belarus – Egala’s team encountered him again in the forest on the Polish side of the border almost one month later.
A 14-year-old Sudanese boy is handcuffed after requesting international protection in Poland in the presence of border guards and with the assistance of Egala workers. The boy was pushed back to Belarus – Egala’s team encountered him again in the forest on the Polish side of the border almost one month later.
‘For us, even before the voting on the new law, in practice the asylum right was already basically suspended.’
What are the humanitarian needs at the border?
People crossing the border in forested areas face urgent humanitarian needs, including food, water, clothing, medical care, and legal advice. While the Polish government claims to cooperate with NGOs to deliver humanitarian aid, there is no systemic humanitarian effort at the Poland Belarus border. This stands in stark contrast to the well-organized response for Ukrainian refugees in recent years.
Medical needs are the most urgent, as people often suffer life-threatening injuries. Common cases include wounds from razor wire and beatings, trench foot (which can cause long-term complications), hypothermia, dehydration, and more.
There are frequent reports of Polish border guards and ambulance staff delaying or denying urgent medical care to people on the move. Médecins Sans Frontières has noted that when calling for an ambulance, medics are often asked about a patient’s skin color or nationality, with border guards sometimes sent to the site based on the answers. Local activists share similar experiences, saying they often have to make multiple calls or wait hours for help, especially if the patient is foreign.
Polish authorities have made ‘virtually no effort’ to meet humanitarian needs at the border with Belarus. The Polish government's failure to provide lifesaving assistance to people crossing the border has left the entire responsibility on activists, local residents, and grassroots organizations.
What does a humanitarian intervention by a local organization look like?
There are only a few organizations providing help at the border, and much of the support also comes from individuals in local communities. One of the key collectives of organizations and independent activists is Grupa Granica, which Egala Association is a part of.
Once people on the move reach Poland, they can contact the alarm phone of Grupa Granica for help. Depending on their needs, volunteers prepare their backpacks and then head into the forest to find them. Walking for hours, they bring what’s needed to reach small groups stranded in remote areas on the Polish side of the border. When they meet, the volunteers provide lifesaving supplies, medical care, and legal advice, offering support and solidarity as people take the next steps toward safety.
Basic equipment and supplies that activists bring include hot soup, dry food packs with energy bars, chocolate, and other simple foods, as well as water, power banks, gold foil blankets to prevent hypothermia, first aid kits, and clothes.
These essentials often make a huge difference, allowing people to survive in the harsh conditions of the forest.
“I called for help and they found me in the swamp. I will never forget how they hugged me when they found me and the first words: 'You are not alone.' They helped me get out of the swamps, they gave me food and water and medical help. They treated my wounds. I remember the tea that they gave me – my body had forgotten how it feels to drink something hot."
Challenges faced by aid providers
Grassroots organizations are vital in supporting people on the move, but they’re struggling with limited resources and lack of state support. The exclusion zone imposed by the Polish government makes it difficult for them to reach those in need and they are unable to cross the fence to help those trapped on the eastern side.
Under the previous government, activists faced verbal abuse, random checks, detentions, and threats of prosecution. One Egala partner organization had its premises raided, and volunteers detained for providing aid. While the situation has eased slightly under the current government, harassment continues.
Very often local organizations and inhabitants are left to choose between risking criminal charges to help those in the zone or leaving them without assistance.
Humanitarians and activists have already faced prosecution for simply trying to provide life-saving support.
In March 2022, five people have been arrested for providing aid to an Iraqi family and an Egyptian national. They are still facing charges of ‘facilitating unlawful stay in the territory of the republic of Poland,’ punishable by up to five years’ imprisonment.
There is an urgent need for funding for local organizations providing humanitarian assistance and monitoring human rights at the Poland–Belarus border, including Egala and We Are Monitoring. These organizations rely on funding from international sources, especially given the often hostile political environment within Poland.
What steps should be taken to protect people at the border?
Sign's inscription: No one has to die in the forest.
Sign's inscription: No one has to die in the forest.
As the crisis at the border worsens, humanitarian groups demand an end to illegal pushbacks and unrestricted access to the border region. Oxfam and Egala are calling on Poland to stop mistreating asylum seekers trying to cross its border via Belarus and reverse plans for taking even more draconian measures against them.
The Government of Poland must end the policy and practice of pushbacks, repeal the recently adopted law suspending the right to asylum, and ensure access to individual asylum procedures. They must ensure that all people in the Poland-Belarus border region are treated humanely and in accordance with human rights standards.
The Government of Belarus must urgently prevent, investigate and punish all cases of abuse of people on the move. Thy must end the practice of forcing people to cross the border with Poland and/or preventing them from leaving the border region. They must allow genuine access to asylum procedures in Belarus and support the provision of humanitarian assistance to those in need at the border with Poland.
European Union (EU) institutions and agencies, supported by EU Member States must investigate and follow up on potential violations of EU law by Poland at the border. They must publicly condemn human rights abuses and policies not in line with EU laws and regulations and end political, financial and operational support for Polish border protection activities used to facilitate the violation of human rights.
The international community, including UN agencies, NGOs and European civil society, must publicly condemn the violation of asylum rights at the border, monitor the situation at the border and support the provision of humanitarian assistance to people on the move.
"From violations against already vulnerable people on the move to the criminalisation of the humanitarians that are trying to support them, the cruelty inflicted at the Poland-Belarus border has to stop."
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