Not on our border watch

Update: Frontex faces trial the 9th of March

Europe, are you watching?

Frontex will be held liable on the 9th of March before the General Court of the EU. For the first time, the European border agency faces an action for damages in which it is held accountable for their part in illegal pushbacks at the European borders. The action is brought by a Syrian family who fell victim to a pushback.

This trial is crucial for fundamental rights in Europe. The EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is supposed to ensure that everyone has the right to ask for asylum. For the past years, Frontex has participated in illegal operations to push back thousands of asylum seekers from Europe’s borders. As a result of pushbacks many people have lost their lives, others have been assaulted, abused and mistreated.

These asylum seekers are men, women, and children fleeing from wars and violence who should have access to a fair asylum procedure. Frontex is funded by the EU and plays a crucial and active role in these atrocities at the borders, eroding the fundamental principles on which the EU is built. Therefore, this action for damages is not only about one Syrian family, but about protecting all our fundamental rights in the EU.

Europe, are you watching?

Help us by sharing our messages on Instagram en Twitter. Follow us on Twitter for live updates of the trial on Thursday the 9th of March from 2:30 PM.

Manifest

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, states that ‘Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.’ These rights don't change based on race, religion, sex or nationality, or whether you seek safety by land, air or sea. Article 18 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights is supposed to ensure that everyone has the right to ask for asylum.

For the past few years, EU member states have used illegal operations to push back tens of thousands of asylum seekers from Europe’s borders. Frontex, the border agency of the European Union plays a key role in these pushbacks and abuses. Preventing access to a fair assessment of their claim, violating their basic human rights and using repression and violence to prevent them from finding a safe harbour.

As a result of these practices over 2,000 people have lost their lives, others have been assaulted, abused and mistreated. They are men, women, and children fleeing from wars and violence who should have access to a fair asylum procedure.

Frontex is funded by the European Union and is actively destroying the fundamental principles on which the Union is built. Funded by the EU means funded by us.

It is set out in law that every human being deserves their basic human rights to be protected. The rule of law applies to everyone on our territory and at our borders.

Therefore, we ask Europe to justify itself. Why is Frontex, funded by European taxpayers, actively being used to destabilize and circumvent the principles of the European Union? Why is a European organization violating human rights at our borders?

We want to hold the European Union accountable in several ways. We are starting legal actions against Frontex and European States, conducting research journalism on the role of the European Union and using public and political pressure against European member states supporting Frontex.

Together we can change this system of violation and oppression. As European citizens, we must not only ask Europe for an explanation, but above all demand that this system in which fundamental rights are ignored be changed. Because we cannot let this happen. Not on our border watch.

Join us in our cause, by supporting our actions and goals.

So Europe, do please explain...

Why refugees are illegally being pushed back and harmed by a European institution?
Why is Frontex actively ignoring and violating basic human rights and the rule of law?
Why am I, as a European citizen, made complicit against my will in the destruction of the rule of law?
Why am I forced to work for an organization that uses illegal methods?
Why was I beaten, left adrift at sea and sent back to the place from which I have fled?

Our Projects

Our lawsuit against Frontex

In October 2016 a Syrian family was returned from Greece to Turkey on a flight operated by Frontex and Greece. They were denied the right to have their asylum claim processed in Greece, the young children aged 2, 5 and 7 were treated in an inhuman and degrading manner during the flight, and Frontex subsequently refused to analyse its own responsibility for the unlawful return of the family. Thereby, the fundamental rights of the family were violated.

Prakken d’Oliveira Human Rights Lawyers has lodged the first legal action for damages on behalf of the family against Frontex at the European Court of Justice in Luxemburg. Our goal is to attain redress for the family that has suffered greatly by the illegal push back and to hold Frontex to account for its own actions. It is no longer acceptable that Frontex, equipped with an ever wider mandate and a bigger budget, deems itself above the law. It is time that Frontex respects fundamental rights and the rule of law.

Spotlight Borders; Podcast in cooperation with Sea-Watch Legal Aid Fund

Listen to the podcast in which our client, the father of the Syrian family, takes you through the events that took place when he and his family wanted to seek asylum in Europe. We can not let this happen, not on our border watch!

Spotlight Borders

Spotlight Borders is a podcast dedicated to people on the move and their supporters

Series 1: Legal Action against Frontex
Episode 1: From Pushback to Litigation:

Episode Description

The anonymous, main plaintiff of the first legal action for damages against Frontex before the Court of Justice of the European Union. Our guest represents a family who was pushed back at the EU border in Greece and is now holding Frontex to account for its actions. With the support of an interpreter, we give voice to his family.

Listen to the full Podcast here on Spotify or Google Podcasts or follow the link to the Website of Sea-Watch Legal Aid Fund

YOU CAN HELP

Together we can raise awareness, hold the European Union accountable and change this system of violation and oppression. As European citizens, we must not only ask Europe for an explanation, but above all demand that this system in which fundamental rights are ignored be changed.

Help us by sharing our messages on Instagram en Twitter. Follow us on Twitter for live updates of the trial on Thursday the 9th of March from 2:30 PM.

Send an e-mail to the European Commission

We created an email to the European council, where we ask the EU to answer for the inconsistent and outrageous behaviour by Frontex. We demand: Stop border atrocities by the EU and Frontex; not on our border watch!

First name

Last name

Dear Commissioner Johansson,

Fundamental human rights are being violated at the external borders of the European Union. Asylum seekers and refugees are denied safety, caused by illegal pushbacks. They are deprived of their human right to apply for asylum, actively endangering their lives.

Frontex, the European Border Agency, is involved in these violent and dangerous pushbacks. A European agency, funded by the EU, is actively violating fundamental human rights, rather than defending them.

As a human being, a European citizen and a European taxpayer, I call on you to end these human rights violations at our borders. If the European Union stands for 'a community of values', it must guarantee basic human rights and the rule of law on its own territory.

As guardian of the EU legal order, it is up to the Commission, together with other EU organs, to stop member states and Frontex violating the Common European Asylum System. Therefore I ask you, Commissioner, to take the necessary steps to end these abuses of asylum seekers by Frontex, and to uphold the rule of law.

I look forward to your reply.

[YOUR NAME HERE]

Also on behalf of the Coalition "Not on our Border Watch"

First name

Last name

Spread the word on Social Media

As European citizens, we must not only ask Europe for an explanation, but above all demand that this system in which fundamental rights are ignored be changed.

You can also help by spreading the message within your own network on social media and other channels that this must stop now. Stop border atrocities by the EU and Frontex: Stop the illegal pushbacks! Not on our border watch!

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About us

The project ‘Not on our border watch’ is initiated by law firm Prakken d’Oliviera Human Rights Lawyers, the Dutch Council for Refugees the campaign agency BKB and Sea Watch Legal Aid:

Prakken d’Oliveira Human Rights Lawyers is a law firm that champions the interests of individuals and companies, with a special focus on human rights. Our attorneys are known to be experts in their field and have a reputation that extends well beyond national boundaries. Learn more here.

The Dutch Council for Refugees works for the protection and integration of asylum seekers and refugees - in the Netherlands, but also beyond - through advocacy, legal cooperation and support to local NGOs in and around Europe. Learn more here

BKB develops campaigns for governments, private companies and public organizations. From their office in Amsterdam they raise issues that they consider important, ranging from refugee matters to equal opportunity in education, from sustainable banking to the importance of open data, and from veterans to work-related stress. Learn more here.

Sea-Watch Legal Aid Fund aims to provide financial and legal assistance to people and organisations who are subject to legal action due to their commitment to people on the move. By supporting targeted people subject to legal proceedings, it informs people on the move with regards to their rights, and provides assurance to the organisations and individuals supporting them Learn more here.

The coalition

The campaign is supported by a coalition of European NGO’s. Within this coalition they join forces to hold the European Union and Frontex accountable for the illegal operations used to push back tens of thousands asylum seekers from Europe’s borders.

The project ‘Not on our border watch’ is supported by a coalition of European NGO’s. Within this coalition they join forces to hold the European Union and Frontex accountable for the illegal operations used to push back tens of thousands asylum seekers from Europe’s borders.

The partners in the coalition support the project with their own expertise and network. To raise awareness and support for legal actions against Frontex and European States, conducting research journalism on the role of the European Union and using public and political pressure against European member states supporting Frontex.

This coalition was formed in July 2021 and will attract more partners and supporters in order to grow in number and in strength. All partners in this coalition have devoted themselves to work individually on establishing a common goal.

Initiating Partners:

Supporting Partners:

NEWS

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STORIES

The Case

The lawsuit filed to the Court of Justice of the European Union on behalf of Syrian refugees against Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency. These refugees were deported to Turkey via a pushback by plane exactly five years ago.

The Story

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights, adopted in 1948, states that ‘Everyone has the right to seek and to enjoy in other countries asylum from persecution.’ These rights don't change based on race, religion, sex or nationality, or whether you seek safety by land, air or sea. In Article 18 of the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights it is ensured that everyone has the right to ask for asylum.

The Coalition

We believe that collectively we can put an end to push backs once and for all. This starts by raising awareness of the atrocities at our border. Our request is simple. We urge the EU to uphold the human rights commitments it entered into. Together we call upon EU citizens to unite and to voice their concern: not on our border watch.