Für die einen offen, für die anderen geschlossen

In the organizer's words:

Welcome culture and violent pushbacks at the Polish-Ukrainian-Belarusian borders.

Even though public attention has disappeared, the humanitarian crisis at the Polish-Belarusian border continues to this day. While the border with Ukraine remains open, refugees a few kilometers to the north on the border with Belarus are experiencing severe human rights violations. Pushbacks, detentions and other forms of violence are a daily reality there. State violence is compounded by a policy of double standards based on racism that distinguishes between "good" and "bad" refugees.

At the lecture, Katarzyna and Aleksandra will talk about their work at the border, about the increasing numbers of deaths and missing persons. At the same time, they will address the connection between European asylum law reform and Polish domestic politics, as the next parliamentary elections will take place in October 2023. The criminalization of help and solidarity will also be addressed and put in perspective with the targeted policy of intimidation of solidarity structures at European borders.

English with German translation

Katarzyna Czarnota is a sociologist and activist. She works as a research associate at the Helsinki Foundation For Human Rights and is a co-founder and supporter of the informal coalition Grupa Granica.

Aleksandra Łoboda is an activist on issues of equality and anti-racism. She works at the Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights as a communications and advocacy specialist.

This event is part of the event series "Europe's Borders - From the Normalization of the Stateof Emergency". The series is organized by the Bavarian Refugee Council, Bellevue di Monaco, medico international and Seebrücke München.