Greek police using masked migrants to forcibly push other migrants back across border
Greek police using masked migrants to forcibly push other migrants back across border
BBC investigation uncovers systemic abuse of human rights
According to extensive evidence gathered by the BBC, Greek law enforcement has been employing migrants as hired fighters to expel other migrants across the country’s land border with Turkey. Internal police records reveal that guards detailed how the hiring of so-called mercenaries was directed by higher-ranking officials. These documents highlight the involvement of masked individuals in detaining and repelling asylum seekers.
Witnesses have reported instances of migrants being stripped, beaten, robbed, and subjected to sexual assault. The BBC’s findings suggest that these mercenaries, often undocumented, have operated unofficially along the border since at least 2020. Despite this, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis claimed to the BBC that he was “totally unaware” of the allegations, while Greek authorities have yet to respond to detailed written inquiries.
“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.
Pushbacks—defined as the forced return of migrants and asylum seekers without proper legal procedures—are classified as a violation of international law. The Netherlands-based Lighthouse Reports first highlighted claims of masked foreign agents conducting such operations in 2022. The BBC’s investigation, conducted alongside the Consolidated Rescue Group (CRG), began last autumn after receiving video footage allegedly depicting mistreatment by mercenaries. This footage, shared by a smuggler disillusioned with his allies, remains unverified but aligns with accounts from independent sources.
Greece has welcomed over a million migrant arrivals since 2015, primarily through sea routes but also via the land border with Turkey. The frontier stretches 200 kilometers along the Evros River, marking the EU’s outer edge between Greece’s Evros region and Turkey’s East Thrace. Refugees entering this area are placed in a heavily monitored zone with watchtowers. The BBC’s collaboration with CRG uncovered that mercenaries, themselves migrants from countries such as Pakistan, Syria, and Afghanistan, have been used to expel hundreds of people weekly.
A June 22, 2023, incident captured on video shows a group of migrants crossing into Evros seeking asylum being ambushed by masked figures. A Frontex-internal report found that 10 to 20 “third-country nationals” were acting under Greek officers’ orders, subjecting individuals to physical and verbal abuse, including death and rape threats, sexualized body searches, and theft. These actions reportedly violated EU human rights standards. Greek authorities have denied that migrants from this group were present on the day of the incident.
Maria Gavouneli, head of Greece’s human rights commission (GNCHR), described the situation as a potential “extremely significant” breach of human rights. The GNCHR has documented over 100 alleged forced returns in Evros since 2020, with recent cases in October 2025 involving non-Greek nationals. While cases have reportedly declined, the continued involvement of foreign mercenaries underscores ongoing concerns.
In March, the prime minister stated he was unaware of the allegations, emphasizing Greece’s efforts to secure its borders. He noted European leaders had resolved not to repeat past errors by allowing a “massive influx” of migrants. Frontex has dismissed claims of involvement, maintaining that the operations were conducted properly.
