Greek police have reportedly been recruiting migrants to forcibly return other asylum seekers across the country's land border with Turkey, according to an investigation that has uncovered extensive evidence of these operations.
Internal police documents reviewed by investigators reveal that senior officers ordered and supervised the recruitment of these individuals, described by some border guards as "mercenaries." Witnesses have reported severe mistreatment, including beatings, theft, and sexual assault during these pushback operations, which are considered illegal under international law.
"There is no soldier, police officer or Frontex officer serving here in Evros who does not know that pushbacks are taking place," a police source in the region told investigators.
The investigation, conducted over several months, pieced together information from migrants, former mercenaries, police sources, official documents, and leaked transcripts. Key findings include:
- One border guard testified at a disciplinary hearing about reports that mercenaries had raped female migrants
- Multiple witnesses described extreme violence by both mercenaries and Greek police, including beatings that rendered people unconscious
- A migrant reported that masked men removed her daughter's diaper while searching for valuables
Greece's 200-kilometer land border with Turkey along the Evros River marks the European Union's outer edge and has seen significant migrant crossings since 2015. A police source indicated that mercenaries have been used to push back hundreds of people weekly.
According to the investigation, the mercenaries are themselves migrants recruited from countries including Pakistan, Syria, and Afghanistan. They reportedly receive compensation through cash, mobile phones looted from other migrants, and documents that effectively allow passage through Greece.
An independent investigation by the Fundamental Rights Office within Frontex examined a June 2023 incident where migrants seeking asylum were ambushed by masked men. The report concluded that 10-20 "third-country nationals" acted under Greek officers' instruction, subjecting migrants to physical and verbal abuse including death and rape threats, intrusive body searches, beatings, and theft before forcibly returning them to Turkey.
Maria Gavouneli, president of Greece's human rights commission, described the findings as potentially representing an "extremely significant" abuse of human rights. Her organization has recorded over 100 alleged forced return incidents in Evros since 2020, with dozens involving non-Greek nationals.
Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis told reporters he was "totally unaware" of allegations about mercenary use but emphasized that Greece was protecting its borders and that European leaders would not repeat past "mistakes" by allowing a "massive influx" of migrants.
Frontex has rejected suggestions it ignores rights violations, stating it helps ensure lawful border management while supporting countries under strain.
Personal Accounts of Violence
Two Syrian migrants shared their experiences of being forced back to Turkey across the Evros River.
Amal (a pseudonym) provided documentation showing her family had applied for asylum in Greece before being unexpectedly detained by police in 2025 while walking through Orestiada in northern Evros. She says masked men took their phones and identification, then transported them in a windowless van to the border.
"My daughter was wearing a diaper, they took it off," Amal recounted. "She was screaming in fear."
She described how approximately seven masked men herded her family and about 20 others along a track using sticks, beating one young man until he lost consciousness. Her daughters witnessed the violence and were left "in a state of shock, terrified, crying." When interviewed in Turkey, Amal's youngest daughter showed visible signs of trauma.
Another Syrian migrant, Ahmad, reported being beaten unconscious by Greek police after being apprehended in Evros.