Greek authorities are facing serious allegations after a BBC investigation claimed that police in Greece recruited migrants to violently push other migrants back across the country’s land border with Turkey.
According to the report, internal police documents and witness accounts suggest that so-called “mercenaries” were allegedly recruited and overseen by senior officers to carry out pushbacks along the heavily militarised Evros border region.
The investigation claims migrants were subjected to severe abuse, including being stripped, beaten, robbed, and in some cases sexually assaulted. It further alleges that such practices may have been ongoing since at least 2020.
Pushbacks—forced returns of migrants or asylum seekers without due legal process—are widely regarded as violations of international law.
The BBC reported that the alleged system involved migrants recruited from countries such as Pakistan, Syria, and Afghanistan, who were reportedly rewarded with cash, stolen items, and documents facilitating movement within Greece.
A police source in the Evros region reportedly said that hundreds of people a week may have been affected by such operations, adding that awareness of pushbacks was widespread among security personnel, including border forces and EU agency staff.
The Evros River, which forms part of the Greece–Turkey border, is described as a highly militarised zone with watchtowers and restricted access, serving as a key entry point into the European Union.
The report also cited testimony from migrants, former recruits, and leaked documents, including claims of extreme violence and sexual abuse.
One border guard allegedly told a disciplinary hearing that superiors had been informed of sexual violence against female migrants, while other witnesses described severe beatings and theft.
The BBC said its investigation was conducted in collaboration with the Consolidated Rescue Group (CRG) and included video material provided by a smuggler, though the footage has not been independently verified.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said he was “totally unaware” of allegations involving migrant recruitment for pushbacks. Greek authorities have not yet publicly responded to detailed requests for comment.
The allegations add to longstanding scrutiny over migration practices at EU external borders, particularly in Greece, which has received over a million migrant arrivals since 2015.
