The 341-page study, released Tuesday by the Swiss-based group Border Forensics, argues that these deaths are the result of systematic state policies. Researchers characterize the border regime as a form of indirect violence, where deliberate inaction and forced returns to Belarusian territory create conditions incompatible with survival. In the case of Kassa, who died in February 2023, companions attempted to secure medical aid through local contacts, only for border guards to intervene and execute a pushback.
Documenting a Border Crisis: Over 100 Deaths Linked to Pushbacks
A 38-year-old Iraqi mother and her unborn child, a 16-year-old boy, and 28-year-old Mahlet Kassa from Ethiopia are among 102 victims identified in a sweeping investigation of the Poland–Belarus border. The report challenges official narratives that attribute these fatalities solely to environmental hazards like hypothermia or dense forest terrain.
Beyond the 102 confirmed fatalities, investigators note that 214 individuals remain missing in the region. While Polish authorities often frame such incidents as isolated tragedies caused by marshes and harsh weather, this collaborative civil society effort asserts that the casualties are a direct consequence of border management practices. The investigation highlights a documented pattern of denial and neglect that leaves vulnerable migrants trapped in a lethal, lawless zone.
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