Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights Dr. Hanna Machińska commented for TVN24 on the situation of migrants at the Polish-Belarusian border. "As a state we are still deaf and blind," she said, stressing that migrants often don't understand the procedure of applying for international protection. "We see women in advanced pregnancy. We shouldn't expect they will be fully conscious partners in the procedure. First and foremost, they should be offered help. And it's the state's duty," she said.
"Our experiences and what the Border Guard officially states are two completely different things. We come across people who declare they want to stay in Poland, who speak about their past and who they are, which are reasons for which they are afraid to go back to their countries, like the Kurds, or citizens of Somalia and Congo," Deputy Commissioner for Human Rights Dr. Hanna Machińska told TVN24 on Thursday.
In her opinion, "as a state we are still deaf and blind". "People who have found themselves in an absolute tragedy are voiceless actors in this procedure. They don't understand this procedure, they are not familiar with it. Nobody is telling them what should happen next," she said.
"When I reminded the officers that they should inform these people about their right to file for international protection, I was told it was not their duty, but a given person should request it," she explained.
Machińska: we are violating all rules and traditions
"These people are so traumatised they don't know where they are and how they survived. They are people we don't know anything about, how they found themselves in Poland, and how they travelled. You need to be there, talk to these people," said the deputy human rights commissioner. "First of all, a psychologist, a doctor, is needed there, support in all dimensions of such people's life, such families," she added.
"A woman gave birth while fleeing, while traversing through forests. Thanks to (Border Guard) officers who found her, but also such situation are monitored by NGOs, the woman was taken to a hospital last minute. We see women in advanced pregnancy. We shouldn't expect they will be fully conscious partners in the procedure. First and foremost, they should be offered help. And it's the state's duty".
"Why aren't we discussing what is happening in Germany today? Normal procedures, refugees are treated in accordance with the law. They don't have situations like this there, whereas what is happening at the Polish-Belarusian border is pure horror," she argued.
She added that "we are violating all rules and traditions". "These are matters that will hold us accountable as a state, as well as each of those officers, and those who make such decisions," Machińska said.
"Constitution guarantees respect for every person's dignity"
In Dr. Machińska's view, not filing the migrants' requests for international protection and sending them back to the border line is a "violation of the international law". She added that "first and foremost, it is a violation of the constitution". "I think that, so far, we haven't been paying enough attention to the fact that the constitution guarantees respect for every person's dignity, ban on torture, children's protection (...) and the right to seek asylum," the deputy ombudsperson said.
"I'm under the impression that people making such decisions don't know these rules, and if they really don't know them, then it is very wrong that they are unqualified to perform such duties," she said.
The state of emergency in the border area with Belarus, imposed on September 2, has been extended for further 60 days. The Polish government officials explain the decision with the need to react to hybrid warfare launched by the Lukashenko regime. They accuse Belarus of using migrants, mainly from the Middle East, by pushing them towards the border with Poland so they could attempt to illegally cross it.
Źródło: TVN24 News in English, TVN24