Joshua Askew is a journalist based in London, United Kingdom.

A Polish soldier shoots a Syrian refugee allegedly after 'tripping'

08 Nov 2023  |  es.euronews.com  |  Spanish  |  Human Rights

A Syrian refugee was shot near the Poland-Belarus border by a Polish soldier who allegedly tripped. The incident is under investigation by military police. The refugee, now hospitalized, is receiving legal and psychological aid from the NGO Grupa Granica. Another Syrian man's body was found nearby, though the incidents are not believed to be related. The shooting highlights the ongoing migration crisis in Eastern Europe, with Poland and Lithuania accusing Belarus of facilitating illegal crossings as a form of hybrid warfare. Polish border guards have faced accusations of illegally pushing migrants back to Belarus, raising human rights concerns.

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Grupa Granica Polish Military Polish Border Guard Belarusian Officials

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Center-Left

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I am journalist based in Warsaw, Poland.
Over 25 of experience in media. I wrote for newspapers (Gazeta Wyborcza, Rzeczpospolia), magazines (PRESS, SENS, Slużba Zdrowia, websites/ online media (OKO.press) and others. 
In last years mostly I write for OKO.press - polish well know online media team ...

Deadly harvest of pushbacks at the border with Belarus - bodies of as many as 4 migrants found!

14 Jan 2023  |  oko.press  |  Polish  |  Border Crisis

A young Yemeni doctor, Ibrahim Dihiya, was among the four migrants found dead at the border with Belarus, victims of pushback policies. Activists and migrants accuse Polish border guards of refusing to help the dying man and instead pushing them back into Belarus. Since the beginning of the border crisis, at least 217 people have gone missing. The Border Guard claims they were searching for a living person but found a body. Activists demand an investigation and accountability for the officers who allegedly denied assistance.

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Grupa Granica Hope & Humanity Poland Straż Graniczna (Border Guard)

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I’m a journalist based in Beirut covering Lebanon, Syria and Jordan. Available for lives, both video and audio. I specialise in covering humanitarian and refugee issues.

Iraqi migrants 'launch hunger strike in Polish detention'

03 Oct 2023  |  The New Arab  |  English  |  Detention Conditions

Four Iraqi migrants at a Polish detention facility began a hunger strike to protest their prolonged detention conditions. They have been held for 17 months at the Guarded Centre for Foreigners in Lesznowola. Another Iraqi migrant, Muhammad al-Zirjawi, has been on a hunger strike for 20 days at a different Polish detention center, suffering from mental distress. The European Union previously accused Belarus of pushing migrants into Poland to create a crisis, a claim Belarus denies. The situation underscores ongoing tensions and humanitarian concerns at the EU's borders.

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Grupa Granica Guarded Centre for Foreigners European Union Belarusian Government

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Amanda Coakley is an award-winning journalist covering central and eastern Europe, and a Europe’s Futures Fellow at the IWM in Vienna. 

Her work has been published in national and international outlets including Foreign Policy, TIME, The Irish Times, Prospect Magazine, The Independent, New ...

Along the Poland border with Belarus, ‘we will never know how many people died’

01 Oct 2023  |  www.codastory.com  |  English  |  Border Security

Poland has been praised for its humanitarian efforts in accepting over 1.4 million Ukrainian refugees but has faced criticism for its harsh response to migrants crossing from Belarus. Belarusian authorities, under Alexander Lukashenko, have been accused of luring migrants with false promises to destabilize the EU. Poland's militarized border and new surveillance technologies have worsened conditions for asylum seekers, leading to injuries and deaths. Humanitarian groups like Grupa Granica continue to provide aid, while the EU supports Poland's actions but faces calls for a unified approach to migration. The Polish government plans to build another wall along the Kaliningrad border, raising further concerns about human rights.

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Grupa Granica Polish Government European Union Belarusian Authorities

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James Jackson is a multimedia journalist based in Berlin, Germany. 

James is a self-starting media professional who is comfortable writing news, specialist reports dispatches, op-eds and features. A native English speaker, he is fluent in German and Spanish and covers Central Europe for outlets ...

Agnieszka Holland: Poland ‘orchestrated campaign’ against Green Border

10 Oct 2023  |  www.aljazeera.com  |  English  |  Migration

Agnieszka Holland's film 'Green Border' addresses the 2021 refugee crisis at the Polish-Belarusian border, highlighting the plight of refugees and the actions of activists and border guards. The film has sparked significant controversy in Poland, with the nationalist government criticizing it as anti-Polish and akin to Nazi propaganda. Despite this, the film has been well-received internationally and is topping the Polish box office. Holland discusses the extensive research behind the film and her intent to portray the complex choices faced by ordinary people. The interview also touches on the broader political implications of migration in Europe and the rise of right-wing populism.

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Grupa Granica Law and Justice party

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Michal Kranz is a journalist based in New York City.

Will Poland’s Border Emergency Become Permanent?

11 Jan 2022  |  Foreign Policy  |  English  |  Humanitarian Issues

The article explores the ongoing migration and security crisis at the Poland-Belarus border, highlighting the Polish government's state of emergency and its implications. It details the humanitarian challenges faced by migrants and the local residents' mixed reactions to the militarization of the area. The article also discusses the political motivations behind Belarusian leader Aleksandr Lukashenko's actions and the Polish government's control over information. Key stakeholders include the Polish and Belarusian border guards, humanitarian organizations like Grupa Granica and Doctors Without Borders, and local residents affected by the crisis.

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Grupa Granica Polish Border Guard Belarusian Border Guard Doctors Without Borders Polish government

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Center-Right

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Katie Toth is a broadcast journalist who specializes in transborder issues and Arctic affairs, and loves breaking down complex stories quickly for new audiences who are just jumping in. She's filed stories on air for National Public Radio and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. She's also ...

The Hottest Forest in the World

13 Aug 2023  |  Foreign Policy  |  English  |  Hybrid Warfare

The article discusses the ongoing refugee crisis at the Polish-Belarusian border, where migrants from countries like Syria, Ethiopia, Yemen, and Afghanistan attempt to enter the European Union through the Bialowieza Forest. The number of illegal crossings has decreased since the 2021 crisis but may be rising again. Belarus is accused of facilitating these crossings as a form of hybrid warfare. In Poland, despite a court ruling against pushbacks, migrants still face challenges from border guards. Mariusz Kurnyta, working with the Wolno Nam Foundation and Podlaskie Voluntary Humanitarian Rescue, aids these refugees. The Polish government, particularly the ruling Law and Justice party, is using the border issue as a campaign point, linking migration to security threats, especially with the presence of Russia's Wagner paramilitary force in Belarus. The article also touches on the humanitarian efforts by groups like Grupa Granica and the contrasting treatment of Ukrainian refugees in Poland.

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Grupa Granica Wolno Nam Foundation Podlaskie Voluntary Humanitarian Rescue Polish Border Guard Polish Academy of Science’s Institute of Political Studies Royal United Services Institute (RUSI)