This report brings together first-hand testimonies from a range of countries in the region to look at the way European Union states and other actors are affecting systemic violence towards people crossing borders.

BVMN is a network of watchdog organisations active in the Balkans and Greece including Rigardu, Are You Syrious, Mobile Info Team, InfoKolpa, Collective Aid, Blindspots, Pushback Alarmphone Austria, I Have Rights, Center for Legal Aid – Voice in Bulgaria and Mission Wings. Combining insights from these different members and other partners, such as Human Rights Observers (France) and Glocal Roots (Greece), this month’s report covers, among other things:

– Increased surveillance and use of drones in Serbia

– Pushback trends in Serbia, Bulgaria, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Croatia

– Deteriorating camp conditions across Greece

– Death, police brutality and poor conditions in Greek prisons and
police stations

– New border technologies and EU funding in Turkey

– Turkey’s Syrian Citizenship Cancellations

– 13 more people lose their lives in the deadliest year at the
French-UK border