Important story, based partly on a recent FOI doc I obtained from Frontex.

Will the EU border agency finally draw some conclusions?

bsky.app/profile/stav...

If only Frontex officers were as keen to respond to people in distress when *on* duty, and to report human rights violations when they witness them, as obliged under the agency's code of conduct.

balkaninsight.com/2024/09/06/e...

Order from Germany? Police check left-wing EU MEP Ilaria Salis before protest in hotel | Matthias Monroy Shortly before the large demonstration “No Kings” in Rome, officers checked the left-wing EU MEP Ilaria Salis in her hotel room in Rome and asked her questions. The police allegedly refer to an order…

Before the “No Kings” protest in Rome, police checked the left-wing EU MEP Ilaria Salis in her hotel room in Rome and asked her questions. They allegedly refer to an order from Germany. That could happen under 3 possible jurisdictions - but all not lawful:
digit.site36.net/2026/03/28/o...

If only Frontex officers were as keen to respond to people in distress when *on* duty, and to report human rights violations when they witness them, as obliged under the agency's code of conduct.

balkaninsight.com/2024/09/06/e...

What's @frontex.bsky.social hiding, yet again?

Meanwhile, at least we now know the latest grotesque euphemism Frontex deploys for the murderous tactics - such as boat rammings - routinely used by border authorities to deter migrants at sea:

'dynamic engagement'

Orwell wept.

French judge probes former EU border chief for complicity in crimes against humanity Fabrice Leggeri, now a far-right member of the European Parliament, was accused of tolerating pushbacks of asylum seekers during a seven-year spell as Frontex chief that began in 2015.

From Parliament to prison? 😉

It is about time that Leggeri faces judicial proceedings for his potential complicity in illegal pushbacks, already concluded by OLAF and leading to his resignation as Frontex director at the time.

tinyurl.com/2s4jywz4

Meanwhile, at least we now know the latest grotesque euphemism Frontex deploys for the murderous tactics - such as boat rammings - routinely used by border authorities to deter migrants at sea:

'dynamic engagement'

Orwell wept.

Perhaps someone should remind @frontex.bsky.social that 'access to documents' is itself enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights?

Contrary to what its name might suggest, the Panel is not chaired by Frontex' quasi-independent Fundamental Rights Officer. Instead, it's run by Deputy Director Lars Gerdes and the Operational Division - which, it seems, intends to keep a tight lid on the question of transparency.

Nor are EU citizens entitled to know basic details of how Frontex is responding to the continuous stream of evidence of border crimes committed in Frontex joint operations in Greece - all in the name, with no hint of irony, of safeguarding 'public security' and the 'modus operandi' of border police.

In fact, EU citizens - according to the agency's response to my FOI requests - are not even entitled to know the headings of some of the items on the FRCP's agenda.

The Fundamental Rights Compliance Panel was launched by Frontex to much internal fanfare last year. It's the principal body where senior managers meet to deliberate about fundamental rights aspects of FX operations.
As much else with the agency, its work is shrouded by opacity, however.

What's @frontex.bsky.social hiding, yet again?

euobserver.com/207979/greec...

@euobserver.com report on a vicious pushback based on a recent Frontex Serious Incident report I obtained via FOI.

euobserver.com/207979/greec...

@euobserver.com report on a vicious pushback based on a recent Frontex Serious Incident report I obtained via FOI.

#Greece has received more than EUR 1.7 billion through EU funds for external borders. This includes mobile and stationary units, border surveillance systems and equipment, refurbishment of crossing points, new IT systems.
www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/docume...

Meanwhile, just a week before this Serious Incident Report was finalised, Frontex issued another glowing celebration of its Greek counterparts, and its operational presence in the very same area where this crime, and countless others, have taken place in recent years.

Another day inside @frontex.bsky.social's FOI archives. Another border crime, meticulously documented, with apparently zero consequences for anyone involved.

The Ireland-Northern Ireland border is often described as ‘soft’, but it does not operate equally. For many, it is a contemporary site of racialised border violence. Read the new post by @lynseyblack.bsky.social and @niamhkeady-tabbal.bsky.social 👇

blogs.law.ox.ac.uk/border-crimi...

EU-Migrationskommissar Brunner sagte der „Bild“ mit Blick auf Gespräche mit dem türkischen Außenminister Hakan Fidan: „Der hat versichert, dass er die Grenzen zugemacht hat in Richtung Iran. Und dass er auf der anderen Seite auch dazu steht, dass wir eine gute Kooperation haben zwischen der Europäischen Union und der Türkei.“

Stellt Euch vor, es ist Krieg und der ÖVP-EU-Kommissar findet es gut, dass das Nachbarland zum Kriegsgebiet hin die Grenzen dicht macht, damit keine Menschen fliehen können.

...the shared solitude of reading and writing...

@rebeccasolnit.bsky.social 🙏

This evening I just stood by the sea for a few minutes. The sky hovered somewhere between fireworks and eternity. My heart skipped a beat.

I thought back to an exhibition about the sea @louisianamuseum, that photographer Charlotte Schmitz and I visited almost a year ago... 1/5

Greek authorities have issued an European Arrest Warrant against Norwegian human rights activist Tommy Olsen, who leads the Aegean Boat Report, supporting migrants.

Hind Rajab and the Dying Light Kaouther Ben Hania’s film retells the story of the 5-year-old’s final hours and amplifies her voice to indict the world’s silence over Gaza’s children

NEW: Kaouther Ben Hania’s “The Voice of Hind Rajab” retells the story of the 5-year-old’s final hours and amplifies her voice to indict the world’s silence over Gaza’s children. @idreesahmad.bsky.social reviews the film for @newlinesmag.bsky.social newlinesmag.com/review/hind-...

Seán Binder, after the Lesvos court's verdict on 15 January 2026 that acquitted the 24 humanitarian defendants of all charges. This case, which had dragged on for nearly eight years, came to an end tonight after almost eleven hours of hearings.

This year’s #HumanRightsDay (10 December), Refugee Support Aegean (RSA) presents an updated overview of the conditions prevailing in #refugee #camps across mainland #Greece.

👉 rsaegean.org/en/human-rig...

#HRD2025
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Farewell, from Beyond Trafficking and Slavery After 11 years of publishing, the team at Beyond Trafficking and Slavery is moving on to new projects. Thank you for joining us!

The amazing Beyond Trafficking and Slavery ( @beyondslavery.bsky.social ) has handed on the baton: www.opendemocracy.net/en/beyond-tr... A huge achievement. The download of their 10 years of publishing is staggering : cdn2.opendemocracy.net/media/docume... (see below)

European Ombudsman

Frontex has once again failed to comply in full with the @ombudsman.europa.eu - this time after it was found guilty of maladministration over its refusal to disclose two major opinions issued by its Fundamental Rights Officer.

www.ombudsman.europa.eu/en/case/en/6...

In a damning internal report, @frontex.bsky.social concludes that its partners-in-crime - the Bulgaria border police - are responsible for abandoning three children, who were left to freeze to death last winter.

www.dw.com/bg/lzite-na-...