European democracy as it is

New victims on the Polish border

A man who had sought to escape from the Middle East to the European ‘paradise’ was lying on a mortuary table in Grodno, his body covered in bruises and impact injuries. His legs were blue. The man could no longer walk, and Poles simply threw him onto the Belarusian territory to die. The day before, Belarusian border guards had found 15 refugees from Syria, Mali, and Algeria in Grodno Region — fortunately, those were still alive. 

Deputy Head of Directorate at the Main Investigative Department of Belarus’ Investigative Committee’s Central Office Aleksandr
Rudko, spokesperson of Belarus’ State Border Committee Anton Bychkovsky, Head of Citizenship and Migration Department
of Belarus’ Interior Ministry Aleksei Begun, and Deputy Prosecutor of Grodno Region Andrei Skurat during a press conference

This hypocritical grimace of the EU’s migration policy towards people trying to survive at any cost no longer surprises anyone. And even if any European — be it a human rights activist or a politician... indeed, any decent person — shows outrage, they risk arranging a social death for themselves at that very moment.

…We are on the border with Poland. Just a few metres from its barbed wire fence, scraps of a backpack and a bag can be seen — all what remains of the belongings of a group of 15 refugees — 15 people without food and water. They received serious injuries, including spinal injuries, as well as gunshot wounds. 
Polish soldiers report in their media that, on average, their army uses weapons several times per day at the border with Belarus. They claim to be defending themselves against migrants who allegedly attack them. Yet, they contradict themselves by stating that no perpetrators have been identified or prosecuted. So who is attacking? 
Perhaps it is a squirrel. It is clear that the reality is much more serious and cynical. If you recall, a Polish soldier named Emil Czeczko, who fled to Belarus to ask for asylum, testified about the use of weapons by Poles back in December 2021. The details of that testimony were shared during a recent press tour for Belarusian and Russian journalists in the border region by Aleksandr Rudko, Deputy Head of Directorate for the Investigation of Crimes against Individuals and Public Safety at the Main Investigative Department of Belarus’ Investigative Committee’s Central Office.
Czeczko revealed that since June 2021, he, along with other servicemen and representatives of the border guard, personally participated in and witnessed organised killings — including mass executions — of refugees, as well as two European volunteers, in the border area. He stated that the bodies were buried en masse directly in the forest. The refugees were lined up along pre-dug burial pits and shot with service weapons. He mentioned that 60–70 bodies could fit in the pit. 
According to Czeczko, his fellow servicemen told him about their involvement in similar atrocities. He also said that the military killed people while drunk, as well as under the threat of using weapon against them by Polish border guards. 

The defector confessed to the Investigative Committee that over 11 days in June 2021, he killed and witnessed mass executions of migrants — a total of 241 people, including women and children. Those were overseen by, seemingly, a border guard who introduced himself as Tomek. However, as Czeczko revealed to the investigation, Tomek was actually an employee of the Polish counterintelligence.

Refugees thrown from Poland to the Belarusian territory, Grodno Region 

…Therefore, those 15 refugees that stayed alive were indeed lucky. Belarusian border guards found them in very poor condition; weakened and beaten, they were pleading for help and received it — in Belarus. Those who could speak told investigators that on the Polish side, they had been assaulted by men in uniform, who unleashed service dogs on them (as evidenced by bite marks, scratches, and bruises on their bodies), used pepper spray, traumatic weapon, and with threats of violence literally threw them onto the opposite side of the border through a gate intended for animals.  
“I have an uncle in Germany, so I wanted to get there,” a young Syrian shared his story with the reporters. “There is war in my country. The salary, even if you are an engineer, is $30; and if you are a simple worker — $20. I have a family, a little sister. I need to help them.” He recounted about the dogs, how Polish security forces kicked people in the head and body, threw unextinguished cigarettes in their faces, shouting: ‘K*rwa, get up! You dog!’  
“The victims are not all dressed for the season,” said Ivan Rusakevich, a paramedic examining the refugees with his team. “Some of them are suffering from hypothermia; we have sheltered them. Some have high fevers and are shivering. There are suspicions of spinal injuries, and some have old, festering wounds. The most common injuries include bruises, contusions, and swollen hands. Some have typical marks from bites. There have been instances when we arrived just to confirm deaths. These people have a heavy fate, and got no human compassion in places where they sought it.”  
This is how EU allies treat even those who seemingly have grounds to be in the EU. Let me cite one case as an example: in October 2021, three Syrian citizens with residence permits (!) in Germany were expelled from Poland to Kamenets District in Belarus, along with three Iraqis who were carrying a deceased relative. The individual had diabetes, and he died because the police refused to provide insulin.  
Such incidents occur along the entire border of Belarus with the EU several times per week, if not daily. This shocking information was disclosed by the official representative of Belarus’ State Border Committee, Anton Bychkovsky, “These actions remain illegal and inhumane. The construction of the ‘iron curtain’ and total militarisation of the border area is the hallmark of Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.” The officer is right — not only migrants suffer, but also residents of the border regions.
…Mohammed Awullab, a citizen of Somalia, was brought to the Grodno University Clinic a few days ago. His legs were broken by Poles. The other injuries can be considered minor. His ward mate, Zakarias Saroman from Eritrea, has diabetes and bruised feet. The man was thrown over the fence into the Belarusian territory in a state of diabetic coma. Belarusian doctors have managed to save his life. Assistance is provided to people free of charge. According to Chief Doctor Sergei Lazarevich, the condition of these two foreigners has been stabilised. The clinic gets about 15 such patients each month. These refugees do not speak either English or Russian; they have a special dialect. They have no documents, and communicate with the doctors using gestures. 
Unfortunately, not everyone has been so lucky. Just a week ago, a dead African man was found near the Polish border, barefoot and without warm clothing, covered in blood and showing signs of beating. Nearby, Polish security forces were observing from their side. Over the past three years, 27 people have been killed at the border due to the Polish migration policy. Criminal cases are being investigated, and forensic experts are working to determine the causes of death.
The mortuary in Grodno is the place where, among others, the bodies of deceased migrants are brought. The refrigerator is full of corpses that bear signs of cold injuries and beatings. The main cause of death is hypothermia. In cases where the identity is not established, a serial number is indicated on the grave.  
…Bruzgi border crossing. I remember how three years ago, Poles were attacking refugees, border guards, and journalists with water cannons here, how they threw stun grenades and used gas. It seems quiet here today, without provocations. But that is not even what I am talking about. 

Here they are — the ‘gardeners’ from the ‘blooming European garden’ — all shouting about security. They claim that to ensure it, troops and military equipment are being amassed at our border, they are allowed to shoot at people, erect walls and other decidedly non-peaceful structures. However, ensuring security is a joint effort of all interested parties. Belarus is ready for co-operation. What about our neighbours?  

“There is still hope for a resolution of the situation,” believes the spokesperson of Belarus’ State Border Committee. “Yet, this is only possible if the leadership of Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia returns to the legal framework. Solving the problem is not an overly complex task. The solution lies within the universally recognised principles and norms of international law, in the conventions and agreements on border issues between Belarus and neighbouring EU countries.” 

To the point 

The Main Investigative Department of Belarus’ Investigative Committee is investigating three criminal cases against officials from Poland, Latvia, and Lithuania under Article 128 — crimes against humanity, Article 123, Part 1 — war propaganda, Article 139, Part 1 — murder, and Article 159, Part 3 — knowingly putting someone in danger of death under the Criminal Code. 

By Lyudmila Gladkaya

Photos by Aleksandr Kushner