Greek police using masked migrants to forcibly push other migrants back across border
Greek police using masked migrants to forcibly push other migrants back across border
Recent evidence compiled by the BBC suggests that Greek authorities have enlisted migrants to violently repel others at the border with Turkey. This practice, known as pushbacks, involves expelling asylum seekers without proper legal procedures, a tactic widely regarded as a violation of international law. The findings include internal police documents detailing how senior officers oversaw the recruitment of so-called mercenaries to assist in these operations.
Witness accounts describe migrants being stripped, robbed, beaten, and even subjected to sexual assault during these pushbacks. Some sources claim that these masked individuals have been operating unofficially along the border since 2020. The Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, expressed surprise about the allegations when speaking to the BBC, stating he was “totally unaware” of the practice. Authorities have yet to respond to detailed written requests for clarification.
Collaborative Investigation
The BBC’s investigation, conducted in partnership with the Consolidated Rescue Group, began in the fall after receiving disturbing video footage allegedly showing migrants being mistreated by mercenaries. The footage, shared by a smuggler upset with his colleagues, depicts an ambush of asylum seekers in Evros. While the content remains unverified, it aligns with testimonies from other independent sources.
Evros, a 200km stretch along the Evros River, serves as the EU’s eastern frontier. It is a heavily militarized zone with watchtowers and checkpoints. A police source confirmed that up to hundreds of people are repelled weekly by mercenaries, who are themselves migrants. These individuals are reportedly motivated by cash, stolen mobile phones, and forged documents enabling passage through Greece.
“There is no soldier, police officer, or Frontex agent in Evros who does not know pushbacks are happening,” the source added.
Footage from June 22, 2023, shows masked men ambushing migrants who had just crossed into Evros. A Frontex report on the incident found between 10 and 20 third-country nationals acting under Greek officers’ instructions. These individuals were subjected to physical and verbal abuse, including “death and rape threats,” intrusive body searches, and theft of personal belongings. The migrants were then forced back into Turkey, breaching EU human rights standards.
Greece’s human rights commission president, Maria Gavouneli, warns that these actions could constitute a “extremely significant” rights violation. The organization has documented over 100 suspected forced returns in Evros since 2020, though cases have reportedly declined. However, recent incidents in October 2025 involved non-Greek nationals, highlighting ongoing concerns.
Despite the prime minister’s March 2025 denial of knowledge, he emphasized Greece’s border protection efforts. “European leaders are clear we won’t repeat past mistakes by allowing a massive influx,” Mitsotakis stated. Frontex has also dismissed claims of involvement, though the BBC’s findings challenge this position.