{"id":150271,"date":"2025-08-09T12:28:22","date_gmt":"2025-08-09T09:28:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/150271\/"},"modified":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","modified_gmt":"2026-03-09T20:10:49","slug":"minsk-reports-arrest-of-70-illegal-migrants","status":"publish","type":"articles","link":"https:\/\/pozirk.online\/en\/news\/150271\/","title":{"rendered":"Minsk reports arrest of 70 \u201cillegal migrants\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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\n (Pozirk's frame grab)<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/figcaption>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

August 9, Pozirk<\/em><\/strong>. Belarus\u2019 interior ministry has announced the arrest of 70 \u201cillegal migrants\u201d along with a Belarusian couple suspected of facilitating irregular migration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe foreigners used our country\u2019s territory for temporary stays, illegal employment and onward transit to European Union countries,\u201d the ministry said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

If convicted, the couple could face up to seven years in prison. The migrants will be deported, the ministry added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

According to official data, Belarus deported nearly 3,000 foreigners and stateless persons in the first seven months of 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The announcement comes as a surprise because the Belarusian ruler has repeatedly stated that he would not crack down on irregular migration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The flow of people seeking entry to the EU surged in spring 2021 after Alaksandar \u0141uka\u0161enka, angered by EU sanctions, indicated that Minsk would not prevent asylum seekers from Africa and Asia from using Belarus as a transit route. Later, \u0141uka\u0161enka claimed that foreigners were heading to the EU because they were \u201cinvited there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Neighboring EU countries have registered a rise in irregular migration from Belarus. Attempts by third-country nationals to cross into neighboring EU states illegally from Belarus rose by 7.2% year-on-year in January\u2013July to 27,360, according to border guard statistics.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Poland recorded the highest number of attempted crossings (18,450), followed by Latvia (7,960) and Lithuania (950).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last year, EU authorities reported thwarting at least 36,291 irregular border crossings from Belarus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Belarus\u2019 western neighbors have described the migration crisis as a \u201chybrid attack\u201d orchestrated by Minsk in coordination with Moscow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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