Poland has detained 13 activists for trying to destroy part of a fence along the border with Belarus that has been erected to help stem the flow of illegal migrants crossing into the country.
Poland's Border Guard Service said late on August 29 that the detained suspects include 12 Polish nationals and one citizen of the Netherlands.
European Union member Poland -- along with Lithuania -- has seen a surge of migrants arriving across its border with Belarus in recent weeks, which officials say is being facilitated by Belarus's authoritarian leader, Alyaksandr Lukashanka, in retaliation for sanctions over his crackdown on the country's pro-democracy movement following a disputed presidential election in August 2020..
Polish Interior Minister Mariusz Kaminski called the activists' attempt to destroy the barrier "absolutely unacceptable," adding that all of the perpetrators will face full criminal prosecution.
"We will react to such actions with full determination," Kaminski tweeted on August 29.
Minsk has been accused of sending migrants from Iraq, Afghanistan and elsewhere across the border in a “hybrid war” to create instability in the 27-nation bloc.
In reaction, Poland recently erected a barbed wire fence along the border and has said it plans to build a 2.5-meter high wall along the frontier with Belarus.
The crisis hit a new level last week when Poland accused the Belarusian authorities of not allowing humanitarian assistance to be delivered to a group of about 30 migrants stranded on the border between the two countries.
Polish and Belarusian border guards have been keeping the group of migrants, mostly from Afghanistan and Iraq, trapped in a small area on the border, as both countries avoid responsibility for them.
Thirteen Detained In Poland For Attempt To Destroy Fence Along Belarusian Border
Editors' Picks
Top Trending
1
U.S. 'Highly Concerned' About Reports Of North Korean Troops Joining Russians In Ukraine
2Men Dragged Off The Street As Ukraine Tries To Tackle Manpower Crisis At The Front
3Ukrainian Drones Reportedly Target Russian Military Plant, Moscow
4Clashes Erupt Between Rival Orthodox Groups At Cathedral In Ukraine
5Ukraine Live Briefing: Over 1,000 Strikes On Energy Facilities In 2 Years
6Early Results Give Pro-Europe President Sandu Lead In Moldova Vote But EU Referendum Lagging
7Russia Pressures Central Asian Prisoners To Fight In Ukraine As 'Expendable Force'
8Romania Detects Another Unidentified Object Breaching Its Airspace
9Apple Complies With Russian Authorities, Removes RFE/RL App From App Store
10Hamas Leader's Death Makes Israeli 'Hit List' Shorter But Might Not Alter Gaza War
RFE/RL has been declared an "undesirable organization" by the Russian government.
If you are in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine and hold a Russian passport or are a stateless person residing permanently in Russia or the Russia-controlled parts of Ukraine, please note that you could face fines or imprisonment for sharing, liking, commenting on, or saving our content, or for contacting us.
To find out more, click here.