Greece accused of using migrant 'mercenaries' for pushbacks on Turkish border

Greek police have been recruiting migrants as so‑called “mercenaries” to violently push other migrants back across the border with Türkiye, according to a BBC investigation published Tuesday. The report, done in collaboration with the Consolidated Rescue Group, alleges that the practice has been ongoing in the Evros border region since at least 2020, overseen by senior officers. Internal police documents reportedly describe how the recruitment was ordered and managed. Witnesses described serious brutality, including migrants being stripped, robbed, beaten and, in some cases, sexually assaulted.

Denials and Evidence

Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told the BBC he was “totally unaware” of the alleged use of migrants for pushbacks. Authorities have not responded to written requests for comment. A police source in the region told investigators that mercenaries are being used to push back hundreds of people each week, adding: “There is no soldier, police officer or Frontex officer serving here in Evros who does not know that pushbacks are taking place.” The BBC said mercenaries are recruited from countries including Pakistan, Syria and Afghanistan and are allegedly rewarded with cash, stolen cellphones and documents offering passage through Greece.

Pushbacks Illegal Under International Law

Pushbacks – the practice of forcing migrants and asylum seekers across borders without access to asylum procedures – are widely considered illegal under international law. Claims of violent and unofficial border operations were previously raised by investigative outlets including Lighthouse Reports in 2022. One border guard told a disciplinary hearing they had information, reported to superiors, that mercenaries had been raping female migrants. Greece has experienced over a million migrant arrivals since 2015, mainly via the Aegean Sea but also through the Evros River border with Türkiye.