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Border Violence Monitoring Network

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Border Violence Monitoring Network
Founded2016; 8 years ago (2016)
TypeNon-profit NGO
FocusHuman rights, Activism
Area served
Europe and the Western Balkans
FieldsHuman Rights Monitoring, Legal and Political Advocacy, Campaigns, Research
Websitewww.borderviolence.eu

The Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN) is a coalition of over 14 organizations founded in 2016 whose stated goal is "documenting illegal pushbacks & police violence by EU [European Union] member state authorities in the Western Balkans and Greece ".[1][2][3] The organization was founded in 2016 and is regarded as an authoritative source on pushbacks and refugee protection.

In 2018, BVMN recorded video footage of pushbacks along the Croatian–Bosnian border, which was widely circulated online.[4] In 2019, it reported 3,251 pushbacks either from Croatia to Bosnia and Herzegovina or from Greece to Turkey.[5] To date, BVMN has documented over 1281 pushbacks from 16 countries.[6]

Key Publications

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Black Book of Pushbacks

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In December 2020, it published the Black Book of Pushbacks, a two-volume work that documents the experiences of 12,654 migrants who suffered from human rights violations while traveling on the Balkan route in the previous four years, in collaboration with the United Left group in the European Parliament.[7][8] At the book launch, German MEP Cornelia Ernst called the incidents described in the book "reminiscent of brutal dictatorships" and said that she hopes the book "will contribute to bringing an end to these crimes and holding the governments that are responsible accountable".[8]

Torture Report

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In 2020, BVMN released a 51-page report into the use of torture or other inhuman treatment during pushbacks. This report was based upon 286 statements from migrants and refugee.[1] Among the BVMN's findings is that in 2020, 90% of pushed-back migrants interviewed experienced "some form of degrading treatment or torture" from border guards.[9][10] According to the BVMN's report, the most common form of violence during pushbacks is beating or kicking migrants, including the use of dogs or attempted lynching. Use of electric weapons has been reported against 362 people. Thirty-seven percent of migrants reported being forced to undress, which almost doubled compared to 2019. In some cases, the migrants' clothes were burned so that they were forced back across the border while naked, or they were detained while naked. Twenty-three percent of cases involved threats with firearms.[1]

Monthly Report

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Every month the Border Violence Monitoring Network publishes a report summarizing recent trends in pushbacks and other important developments.[11] The report focuses on the situation in Greece and countries on the Balkan Route - analysing events all the way from Evros to the Slovenian-Italian border.

Structure

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Partner Organizations

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BVMN works via a horizontal network of member groups. The members are NGOs, coo-ops, collectives and grassroots initiatives spread across the Western Balkans, Greece and Turkey.[12] Members sit on an open assembly, and each contribute to various different working groups within BVMN. The following organization are named partners within the Border Violence Monitoring Network, but some partners choose to remain anonymous.

  1. Are You Syrious? [13]
  2. Centre For Peace Studies
  3. Collective Aid
  4. Disinfaux Collective
  5. Fresh Response
  6. Infokolpa
  7. Josoor
  8. Mare Liberum
  9. Mobile Info Team
  10. No Name Kitchen
  11. [RE:]ports SARAJEVO
  12. Rigardu eV

Funding and Finances

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The finances of the Border Violence Monitoring Network are based on:

  • Funds from Foundations and Grants
  • Member fees from BVMN's legal frame Rigardu e.V.
  • Donations from BVMN supporters

Currently BVMN receives support from the following foundations:

References

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  1. ^ a b c Müller, Tobias (4 May 2021). "Folter an den EU-Außengrenzen: Pushbacks mit brutaler Gewalt". Die Tageszeitung: Taz. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  2. ^ "About us - Who we are – Border Violence Monitoring Network". Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  3. ^ "BVMN twitter profile". Twitter. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  4. ^ James Ellison and Travis van Isacker. "Visual methods for militant research: counter-evidencing and counter-mapping in anti-border movements" (PDF). Interface. 13 (1): 349–374.
  5. ^ Guarch-Rubio, Marta; Byrne, Steven; Manzanero, Antonio L. (10 February 2021). "Violence and torture against migrants and refugees attempting to reach the European Union through Western Balkans". Torture. 30 (3): 67–83. doi:10.7146/torture.v30i3.120232. ISSN 1997-3322. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  6. ^ "Reports Archive – Border Violence Monitoring Network". Archived from the original on 2020-12-28. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  7. ^ "NGO report unveils 'merciless' violence against migrants at Europe's borders". The Brussels Times. 19 December 2020. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  8. ^ a b "'Black book' of thousands of illegal migrant pushbacks presented to EU". the Guardian. 23 December 2020. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  9. ^ Zocchi, Benedetta (September 13, 2021). "I've been talking to Afghans stuck on the Bosnian border – their predicament is horrifying". The Conversation. Retrieved 30 September 2021.
  10. ^ "Vast majority of pushbacks in southeast Europe involve torture, rights watchdogs say". InfoMigrants (in French). 2021-05-05. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  11. ^ "Monthly Report Archives – Border Violence Monitoring Network". Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  12. ^ "Structure of the network – Border Violence Monitoring Network". 2020-06-17. Archived from the original on 2021-11-12. Retrieved 2021-11-12.
  13. ^ "Are You Syrious?". Medium. Retrieved 2021-11-12.

Further reading

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  • Denaro, Chiara (2021). "Documenting and denouncing violence at eastern European borders: the socio-legal relevance of refugee voices through the production of audio-visual material". Handbook on Human Security, Borders and Migration. Elgar Online. pp. 189–209. ISBN 9781839108907.
  • "Ljudi u crnom, kečap i kundak". Bilten (in Croatian). 20 May 2021. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
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