Dozens of migrants camp out at the Polish-Belarusian border in Usnarz Górny. One of the Afghans is said to have recorded a video he later sent to his cousin, in which he claims that the Polish police has stopped them in the town and taken them back to the border. The police denied the allegation. "I strenuously deny, no such thing had taken place," said Tomasz Krupa, spokesman for Podlasie police.
A provisional camp with immigrants has been set up at Polish-Belarusian border in Usnarz Górny, in northeastern province of Podlasie. The refugees are being watched by the Polish Border Guard and Belarusian military.
TVN24 reporter Adrian Zaborowski said on Thursday afternoon that members of Fundacja Ocalenie arrived at the site together with a translator. He said that the Afghani citizens, aged between 15-25, have been travelling for 28 days, of which 11 at the border.
According to the translator's account, the migrants said they did not have any food or water in the last 24 hours. "They are hungry, but the Border Guard gave them something to eat. She told reporters that many people were ill.
"They told me they knew what was happening in Afghanistan, they had lost everything, some of their families have been arrested, some people were killed. They very much hope for international protection here," the translator said.
According to TVN24 reporter, 32 persons were staying in the camp. He added that some people were refused entry and returned to Belarus.
Video recorded by one of the migrants
A video has been published in social media, which one of the Afghans sent to his cousin back home.
"We are Afghani immigrants. We are 40 persons with kids. Polish police arrested us from city and brought us between Belarus and Poland border," the man in the recording says.
"We are here in the forest for nine days. We eat leaves of tree and we drink dirty water. The weather is very cold, especially in the night. And it's raining. We don't have any food and we don't have any water. We are recording this report in hiding becasue the Polish police don't let us record the video," one of the migrants says.
He is also heard saying that eight persons from their group got lost in the forest and it was unclear if they were alive. He also calls on the U.N. for help. "Please, save our lives".
The police, however, denied the allegation. "I strenuously deny, no such thing had taken place," said Tomasz Krupa, spokesman for Podlasie police.
Questions to the ministry of interior
TVN24 reporter has asked the Ministry of Interior and Administration whether this situation had taken place, but received no immediate answer.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, TVN24, PAP
Źródło zdjęcia głównego: konkret24