Category: News from the Borders

• According to the United Nations, at least 8,565 people lost their lives while fleeing in 2023. This is the highest figure since records began. The number of unreported cases is higher. The Standard reports.
• Italy has detained the "Sea-Watch 5" after the crew rescued 56 people and brought them ashore. Prior to this, a 17-year-old died on board because Italy, Malta and Tunisia did not initiate a medical evacuation despite requests to do so. To the taz article.
• doctor as a cab driver. In Poland, many refugees from Ukraine have found work quickly – but they are often employed below their qualifications. To the NDR radio feature (4 min.).

News from the Borders Feminist Day of Struggle 2024

• Over half of the more than 110 million people on the run are women and girls. In refugee situations, they are often unprotected and therefore become victims of physical and psychological violence. On International Women's Day, the UN Refugee Agency draws attention to their plight.

• Women from third countries can receive protection in the EU due to domestic violence. This was decided by the European Court of Justice (ECJ) in Luxembourg in January. DW reports.

• According to EU human rights expert Dunja MijatoviÄ, Europe's treatment of refugees often does not comply with humanitarian principles or human rights standards. The right to asylum is being eroded. To the Zeit article.

• In the run-up to today's Conference of Minister Presidents, the CDU is pushing for further tightening of asylum laws or even legally unenforceable upper limits. Other topics will be the payment card and the externalization of the external border. Time Online reports.

• According to a Study by Bertelsmann a clear majority of respondents in Germany see opportunities and benefits from immigration. 87% are of the opinion that refugees should be able to return to work quickly, 75% are in favor of distribution quotas for refugees in the EU and a further 35TP5T say: "Germany can and should take in more refugees because it is a humanitarian necessity. Click here for the summary at Zeit Online.

• The British House of Lords has significantly weakened the bill, which the Conservative government intends to use to deport refugees without the right to object in future. The FAZ reports.

• Sea rescuers from the organization SOS Humanity rescued 77 people in the Mediterranean at the weekend. The Libyan coastguard jeopardized the rescue operation and even fired on them. One person died as a result of the attack by the border guards. RND reports.

• A seven-year-old girl drowned in the English Channelwhen the family tried to take a boat from Calais to the UK.

• The British Home Office has violated the fundamental rights of those affected with a pilot project to monitor migrants with an electronic ankle tag and the tracking of location data that this enables. To the article.

• For 7 years, accused sea rescuers have been facing 20 years in prison. Now it came out: there was no evidence at all. Watch my video about it.

• On Wednesday, the crew of the Sea Eye 4 rescued 57 people from distress at seabut help came too late for two people. They did not survive the escape across the Mediterranean.

• Amnesty International considers the outsourcing of asylum procedures to third countries to be contrary to European law. The reason for this is the agreement between Italy and Albania. To the Zeit article.

• The public prosecutor's office in Trapani has requested that all charges against the Iuventa crew be dropped. More information is available from Iuventa.

• The European Ombudsman concludes that Frontex is unable to fully meet its human rights obligations due to current regulations. She appeals to the EU Parliament, Council and Commission to set up a commission of inquiry to clarify the causes of the Mediterranean deaths. More about this on my homepage.

• The new CDU district administrator of the Saale-Orla district is forcing refugees to work – for 80 cents an hour. Those who don't want to are threatened with financial sanctions. MDR reports.

• Referendum: In Fürstenau, Lower Saxony, a clear majority voted in favor of accepting refugees. Find out more at NDR.

• In Greece, a 16-year-old faces up to 4670 years in prisonbecause he is accused of smuggling people with his father, an Egyptian fisherman. Lawless space: A study I commissioned on the criminalization of refugees in Greece.

• The European Court of Human Rights has ruled in favor of a man from Switzerland who had filed a complaint about racial profiling during a police check. The Tagesschau reports.

• Childcare, housing, language and recognition of qualifications: The head of the Marzahn-Hellersdorf job center explains the challenges involved in getting people from Ukraine into work. To the interview.

• Dozens of organizations have declared their solidarity with the Cypriot NGO KISA and are demanding that it regain its official registration as an NGO. The government is taking action against human rights defenders on flimsy grounds, and KISA's offices were recently attacked with a bomb. The explanation at PICUM.

• There are currently around 150,000 Russians and 16,000 Ukrainians living in Serbia. Many refugees from Russia would prefer to come to the EU, but are not allowed to. Euronews reports.

• Germany has recognized the genocide of the Yazidis. In Iraq, they are persecuted because of their faith. Nevertheless, survivors are deported there from Germany.

• The number of registered politically motivated attacks on refugees in 2023 was almost twice as high as in the previous year. 219 people were injured in the 2,400 attacks. To the Zeit article.

• 65 percent of refugees from Ukraine and 72 percent of internally displaced persons want to return to their old homes. However, this proportion has fallen as more and more people feel insecure due to the ongoing war.

• Italy's Supreme Court has ruled that it is a crime to hand people over to Libya after they have been rescued at sea. The FAZ reports.

• Ex-Frontex director Fabrice Leggeri is running for third place on the list of the far-right Rassemblement National in the European elections. To the Zeit article.

• A non-governmental organization in North Macedonia has accused the Serbian police of violence against refugees. Last weekend, more than 70 people appeared in a village on the border with SerbiaMany of them were only wearing underwear in sub-zero temperatures.

• A trial is being held in Trapani against sea rescuers from the Iuventa crew for allegedly aiding and abetting illegal entry. After more than two years of preliminary negotiations, it now emerges thatthat the two main witnesses are not credible and have not observed any cooperation with smugglers. You can find an interview with one of the defendants here.

• In light of the announced ground offensive in Rafah in the Gaza Strip, Egypt has begun building a reception camp for Palestinian refugees. The fenced camp in the Sinai desert has space for more than 100,000 people. Click here for the article.

• Germany has decidedto extend checks at the internal borders with the Czech Republic by a further six months at the next review in March.