International borders are not human rights-free zones.

Yet reports from international bodies, NGOs, civil society and migrants themselves increasingly document widespread abuses at or in relation to EU borders. These abuses include unlawful profiling, violence that can amount to torture, gender-based violence and arbitrary detention.  

For those who experience this violence, justice is rarely within reach.

Legal remedies can be inaccessible, ineffective, or unreasonably prolonged. This is worsened by the systemic barriers faced by people on the move.

We see the impact of this violence every day at RLS. Many of our clients have experienced horrific violence while attempting to reach safety.

Legal practitioners can and do play a critical role as human rights defenders. They can challenge impunity, demand accountability, and secure justice for survivors of border violence.

That’s why we’ve created Border Violence – Complaints and Litigation: A Practitioner’s Guide.

This guide is designed to serve as a resource for legal professionals to advocate individually and collectively for those who have experienced border violence.  

It equips practitioners with the tools to navigate complaints mechanisms, and it outlines the range of possible routes for complaint to help practitioners to think more strategically.

You can access the guide here. Please share with your networks.

Together, we can work to uphold the fundamental rights of all people at international borders.