В письме на имя Министра внутренних дел Латвии Мариса Кучинскиса, опубликованном сегодня, Комиссар выражает обеспокоенность в связи с сообщениями о продолжающихся коллективных выдворениях на латвийско-белорусской границе, которые привели к тяжелым травмам мужчин, женщин и детей, а также смерти одного человека.
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“I am alarmed by the fact that a criminal investigation was initiated against two members of the organisation ‘I want to help refugees’ who went to the border area on 12 January 2023 out of concern for the lives of seven Syrians", she writes, stressing the key role of human rights defenders and the duty of states to create an enabling environment for them.
The Commissioner expresses concern about the continued state of emergency, which hinders the provision of direly needed humanitarian assistance at the border and prevents public scrutiny. She stresses that “border control must be exercised in full compliance with a state’s obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights and the absolute prohibition of refoulement. The human rights of those arriving must be safeguarded even during challenging conditions and including when they attempt to cross in an irregular manner.”