Investigative findings by the BBC suggest Greek police have employed migrants, referred to as 'mercenaries,' to forcibly push other migrants back across the land border with Turkey. Internal police documents reportedly detail the recruitment and oversight of these individuals by senior officers.
Allegations of severe brutality have emerged, with witnesses reporting migrants being stripped, robbed, beaten, and sexually assaulted. This unofficial practice is claimed to have been ongoing since at least 2020.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has stated he was "totally unaware" of such allegations. Pushbacks, the practice of forcing asylum seekers back across borders without due process, are widely considered illegal under international law.
Evidence gathered from migrants, former mercenaries, police sources, and leaked documents points to the recruitment of migrants from countries like Pakistan, Syria, and Afghanistan. These individuals are allegedly rewarded with cash and looted items, and sometimes gain passage papers for Greece.
One Frontex Fundamental Rights Office report, investigating an incident on June 22, 2023, found that between 10 and 20 third-country nationals acted under Greek officers' instructions, subjecting migrants to abuse and theft before forcibly returning them to Turkey.
Victims recount harrowing experiences, including being beaten, robbed, and subjected to degrading searches. One migrant described her daughter's nappy being removed during a search for valuables.
Testimonies from a disciplinary hearing for border guards reveal acknowledgments of using "boatmen" or mercenaries for pushbacks, especially when COVID-19 or tensions made direct police involvement riskier. Coded messages for operations and reports of mercenaries raping women and stealing money were allegedly brought to the attention of superiors.
Some individuals claim they were coerced into working as mercenaries, feeling like captives rather than willing participants. Their duties reportedly included transporting people back to Turkey and destroying migrant belongings to eliminate evidence.