Greek police using masked migrants to forcibly push other migrants back across border
Greek Police Using Migrants as Mercenaries for Border Pushbacks
Based on extensive evidence, the BBC reports that Greek police have been employing migrants to forcibly return others to Turkey across the country’s land border. Internal police documents detail how senior officers ordered the recruitment of these so-called mercenaries, with guards describing the process in their records. The findings include claims of physical and verbal abuse, such as beatings, theft, and even sexual assault, as migrants were pushed back without proper legal procedures.
These pushbacks, which involve expelling asylum seekers and refugees without due process, are typically deemed unlawful under international law. The practice has allegedly been in place since at least 2020, with foreign masked individuals reportedly involved. A 2022 report by Lighthouse Reports, a Netherlands-based news outlet, first highlighted these claims. The BBC’s investigation, conducted in partnership with the Consolidated Rescue Group (CRG), began in autumn 2022 after receiving a video from a smuggler. This footage allegedly depicted migrants being mistreated by mercenaries, though its authenticity remains unverified.
Border Dynamics and Evidence
The land border with Turkey stretches 200km along the Evros River, forming the EU’s outermost frontier. Migrants entering Greece via this region pass through a militarized zone lined with watchtowers. According to a police source, hundreds of people are pushed back weekly, with no officer in Evros unaware of the operation. The mercenaries, themselves migrants from countries like Pakistan, Syria, and Afghanistan, are reportedly paid with stolen goods, including phones and documents that enable passage through Greece.
“There is no soldier, police officer or Frontex (EU border agency) officer serving here in Evros who does not know that pushbacks are taking place,” said a regional police source.
Footage from June 22, 2023, shows a group of migrants ambushed by masked men after crossing into Evros. A Frontex-funded report by the Fundamental Rights Office concluded that between 10 and 20 “third-country nationals” acted under Greek officers’ instructions. These individuals subjected migrants to threats, body searches, and theft, then transported them back to Turkey, violating EU human rights standards. Greek authorities have denied the presence of migrants in the area on that day.
Legal and Political Responses
The Greek prime minister, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, told the BBC in March that he was “totally unaware” of the allegations. Despite this, he emphasized Greece’s border protection efforts and stated European leaders had resolved to avoid repeating past mistakes of allowing a “massive influx” of migrants. Frontex has also dismissed suggestions of involvement in the pushbacks.
According to Maria Gavouneli, head of Greece’s human rights commission (GNCHR), the findings could represent a “extremely significant” breach of human rights. The organization has documented over 100 incidents of forced returns in Evros, with dozens involving non-Greek nationals as recently as October 2025. These reports underscore ongoing concerns about the legality and ethics of Greece’s border policies.