Europe’s Migration Crackdown Raises Alarm Over Human Rights Violations

Author: Aamnah Fatima Khan

July 14, 2025

HRRC strongly condemns the recent actions by Greece and Georgia that undermine the right to asylum and violate international human rights obligations. Suspending asylum procedures and conducting unjust deportations threaten the safety and dignity of vulnerable individuals.

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International observers and human rights organisations have strongly criticized a number of recent European government decisions, particularly those made by Greece and Georgia, for compromising due process and asylum rights.

In Greece, the government has suspended the processing of asylum claims for migrants arriving by sea from Africa for at least three months. The ban, which was approved by a parliamentary vote of 177-74, mainly targets migrants coming from Libya. It comes after more than 2,000 migrants recently flooded the island of Crete, overloading local resources and sparking popular resentment. The decision was presented by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis as a preventative measure to secure Greek borders and discourage human smugglers. In addition to confirming plans to create a closed detention centre in Crete, Migration Minister Thanos Plevris called the situation a "invasion".

Nonetheless, the proposal has been denounced as a breach of European Union (EU) and international human rights law by the UN Refugee Agency and the Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe. Critics argue that the approach may result in unlawful "pushbacks" and raise the possibility of torture or cruel treatment for migrants who return.

In Georgia, Roman Kislyak, a Belarusian human rights advocate, lost his last appeal against the Georgian government's denial of his asylum request. Georgia's Security Service declared him a national threat without providing any justification, despite the fact that he satisfied the requirements of international refugee law. Due to the rejection of refuge, Kislyak is in danger of being deported to Belarus, where he could be imprisoned and subjected to torture. Legal departure is made more difficult by his expiring passport, which is why the European Court of Human Rights and the UN Human Rights Committee are being called upon to step in immediately.

These developments come amid growing concern from European governments about democratic backsliding in Georgia. The EU and 17 foreign ministers jointly denounced recent coercive measures by Georgian authorities as dictatorial and "anti-European."Together, these incidents highlight a disturbing trend: border control and national security are being increasingly prioritized at the expense of basic human rights.

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Glossary 

• Amid – In the middle of or during something

• Asylum Rights – The legal right to seek safety in another country

• Backsliding – Returning to a worse condition or failing to make progress

• Breach – Breaking a law, rule, or agreement

• Condemn – To strongly disapprove or speak against something

• Denounced – Publicly criticized or accused

• Departure – The act of leaving a place

• Deported – Forced to leave a country

• Detention – The act of keeping someone in a place, usually by law or force

• Dictatorial – Acting like a dictator; controlling and harsh

• Expense – The cost of something

• Expiring – Coming to an end or no longer valid

• Human Smugglers – People who illegally help others cross borders for money

• Imprisoned – Put in jail or prison

• Invasion – The unwanted arrival of people in large numbers

• Migrant – A person who moves from one place to another, especially for work

• Parliamentary Vote – An official decision made by elected lawmakers

• Pushbacks – Forcing people, especially migrants, back across a border without letting them apply for asylum

• Refugee – A person who flees their home country due to danger or conflict

• Resentment – A feeling of anger or bitterness

• Subjected To – Made to experience something, often unpleasant

• Suspended – Stopped for a temporary period

• Undermine – To weaken or reduce the power of something

• Vulnerable – Easily hurt or harmed physically or emotionally

  
  

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Sources

1. https://www.dw.com/en/greece-to-suspend-asylum-applications-of-migrants-from-libya/a-73220852

2. https://civil.ge/archives/691880 

3. https://www.euronews.com/2025/07/11/greek-parliament-passes-suspension-of-asylum-claims-for-african-migrants-despite-criticism 

4. https://balkaninsight.com/2025/07/11/greece-suspends-migrant-asylum-applications-from-africa/

5. https://en.belsat.eu/87790382/georgia-ultimately-denies-asylum-to-human-rights-activist-roman-kislyak-and-gives-him-30-days-to-leave