Poland to temporarily suspend asylum rights amid Belarus border tensions
Al JazeeraOCT 12 2024
The decision comes in response to an ongoing border crisis that Poland claims has been orchestrated by Belarus and Russia since 2021, involving migrants primarily from Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq.Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk said Saturday that he plans to temporarily suspend the right to asylum as part of a new migration strategy to reduce irregular migration.
Tusk accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, Russian President Vladimir Putin, and human smugglers of misusing the right to asylum, stating that their actions contradict the essence of this right.The decision reportedly comes in response to an ongoing border crisis that Poland claims has been orchestrated by Belarus and Russia since 2021, involving migrants primarily from Afghanistan, Syria, and Iraq.
The Polish government intends to present the new migration strategy at a Cabinet meeting on October 15, coinciding with the first anniversary of the current coalition government's election to power.In announcing his decision, Tusk accused Belarusian Pres. Alexander Lukashenko, Russian Pres. Vladimir Putin, and human smugglers and traffickers of misusing "the essence of the right to asylum."
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Suspending the right to asylum violates constitutional principles and international obligations. This drastic measure will push vulnerable migrants into the hands of smugglers and exacerbate their already precarious situation. Instead of addressing the root causes of migration, this policy criminalizes those seeking safety and protection.