Bulgaria uses violence and police dogs in migrant pushbacks says HRW
Human Rights Watch has accused Bulgarian authorities of attacking Afghan and other asylum-seekers, using police dogs and other violence to illegally push them back into Turkey.
Turkey
Syrian refugees in Turkey turn into a political pawn
Syrian refugees in Turkey are worried about Erdogan's plans to to relocate up to 1 million of them to "safe areas" inside Syria. Damascus is also unhappy, fearing a Turkish landgrab and the return of dissidents.
Greece turns hundreds of migrants back amid Aegean tensions
Greece says it prevented almost 600 migrants from entering its territory in the eastern Aegean Sea on Monday. Athens accuses Turkey of sending the boats deliberately towards its neighbor.
Greece: Migrants rescued off Rhodes
More than forty people were reportedly rescued from sinking boats off the Aegean island of Rhodes at the weekend. A blind girl was among the migrants in one inflatable dinghy.
Greece accused of pushing back Turkish activists seeking asylum
Greece has faced accusations of illegally pushing asylum seekers back to Turkey for years. Turkish activist fleeing persecution are reportedly among the victims of these pushbacks, facing increasingly hostile Greek border authorities.
Missing migrants: A family's lonely search for a lost brother
More than three months ago, a young Afghan man named Banochai Elham went missing in the mountains in the far northwest of Iran. He had left Afghanistan with the help of a smuggler, in the hope of reaching Turkey. In an open letter his brother expressed his desperation. While there are organizations committed to tracing those who go missing on migration journeys, many families are forced to search alone.
Erdogan announces return scheme for one million Syrians
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has expressed plans to send around one million Syrian refugees back to their country. The President said that the plans were at an "advanced" stage.
Frontex hit by lawsuit amid further allegations over pushbacks
Frontex is losing credibility following further allegations it was involved in pushbacks. Now, the private sea rescue organization Sea-Watch is alleging that the European border agency is implicated in so-called pullbacks near Malta as well, launching legal proceedings at the EU Court in Luxembourg.
Frontex chief offers resignation after further allegations of pushbacks revealed
According to a joint investigation by Lighthouse Reports, several European broadcasters and news organizations, Frontex' very own records appear to show evidence of pushbacks in the Aegean, carried out by Greek authorities. The investigation has prompted Frontex chief Fabrice Leggeri to tender his resignation.
Greek government accused of ignoring the needs of asylum seekers
The Greek Council for Refugees (GCR) accused the Greek government of ignoring the needs of dozens of asylum seekers, who are stranded on the country's border with Turkey. This comes days after a woman was found shot dead in the same region, and a migrant boat is reported to be drifting off the island of Samos.
Turkey stops 168 Italy-bound migrants in Aegean
The Turkish coast guard on Tuesday stopped 168 people aboard a fishing boat in the Aegean Sea that authorities said was headed for Italy. In March alone, Turkish authorities stopped 17,587 irregular migrants in the country who were trying to make it to Europe.
Greece-Turkey border: Stranded migrants evacuated from island
A group of 34 asylum seekers who had been stranded for two days on an island in the Evros river were finally evacuated on Friday. A humanitarian organization accused Greece and Turkey of 'playing with people's lives'.