RIGA (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 13th August, 2021) Latvia's State Border Guard said Friday that 101 people tried to cross into the country from Belarus illegally in the previous day, bringing the three-day total to 174.
"On Thursday, August 12, state border guards prevented 101 attempts to cross the Latvian-Belarusian border illegally. Since 10 August, a total of 174 people have been stopped from crossing," a statement read.
Latvia declared a state of emergency in areas bordering Belarus on Tuesday. Neighboring Lithuania did so last month. Latvian border guards, police and army are now allowed to use force and "special means" to push migrants back to Belarus. Refugee applications will not be accepted in areas under emergency restrictions.
The practice of forcibly returning migrants is illegal under the 1951 UN Refugee Convention. Belarus argues that it cannot afford tighter border security, while Latvia, Lithuania and Poland accuse it of letting migrants through to get back at the EU for imposing sanctions on it.
