Borderline-europe

Borderline-europe is a German non-governmental human rights organization focused on the consequences of European border and migration policy. Founded in 2007 by Judith Gleitze, Harald Glöde, Stefan Schmidt and Elias Bierdel, the organization emerged from a network of people concerned with deaths, rights violations and the criminalization of assistance at Europe's external borders. Its work is closely associated with the experience of the rescue vessel Cap Anamur. In 2004, the ship rescued 37 people in distress at sea, after which its captain, Stefan Schmidt, and the organization's future chairman, Elias Bierdel, were arrested and prosecuted in Italy for allegedly assisting irregular entry. They were acquitted five years later. That experience helped shape borderline-europe's emphasis on civilian rescue, legal escape routes and opposition to the treatment of humanitarian assistance as a crime. The organization's principal method is independent observation and documentation. It conducts research in border regions, operates border-monitoring activities and publishes reports and other documentation about conditions faced by refugees and migrants. The aim is not only to record individual incidents but also to make the effects of European policies of isolation visible to the public. Borderline-europe seeks to strengthen critical public debate about border control, asylum procedures, detention, pushbacks and the militarization of migration management, particularly through the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, commonly known as Frontex. Borderline-europe combines research with public relations, political education and networking. It supports initiatives that provide humanitarian aid at borders, helps connect journalists and event organizers with knowledgeable contacts, and cooperates with European civil-society groups working on displacement and migration. Its activities include national and transnational projects, public events, conferences and discussion series. The organization also campaigns for safe and legal routes to Europe and against the criminalization of people who rescue or assist refugees and migrants. The group is based in Berlin and maintains branch offices on Sicily and the Greek island of Lesbos. The Berlin office supports projects involving refugee campaigns, research, public events addressing right-wing populism and cooperation with humanitarian initiatives including Alarm Phone, Sea-Watch and Jugend Rettet. In Palermo, the Sicily branch observes the situation of refugees arriving in transit facilities and attempting to enter the asylum system. On Lesbos, the organization has worked with the local group Lesvos Solidarity on a contact point intended to provide language learning, legal guidance, educational activities, psychosocial support and leisure opportunities for refugees and local residents. Borderline-europe is a civil-society association rather than a commercial consumer brand. Its public identity rests on field-based evidence, human rights advocacy and solidarity with people on the move. In 2012, it received the Aachen Peace Prize, recognizing its contribution to peace-oriented work and the defense of human rights. The organization continues to present itself as an independent voice on the EU's external borders, linking local observation with wider European advocacy.

Borderline-europe was established in Germany in 2007 by Judith Gleitze, Harald Glöde, Stefan Schmidt and Elias Bierdel. Its formation was connected in part to the aftermath of the Cap Anamur incident, a highly visible episode involving civilian rescue at sea and the criminal prosecution of those associated with the rescue vessel. In 2004, Cap Anamur rescued 37 people in distress. Italian authorities subsequently arrested the ship's captain, Stefan Schmidt, and Elias Bierdel, who was chairman of the organization associated with the vessel, alleging that the rescue operation facilitated irregular entry. Both men were ultimately acquitted five years later. The case illustrated the legal and political risks faced by people and organizations assisting migrants and refugees and became part of the background to borderline-europe's later advocacy. From its beginning, the organization concentrated on the external borders of the European Union. Rather than operating primarily as a direct-service charity, it developed a model combining independent field research, border monitoring, documentation, public communication and political education. Its stated concern is to make the human consequences of European isolation and deterrence policies visible and to encourage a critical public discussion of border control and asylum practices. It also challenges the criminalization of people who provide assistance or conduct rescues at sea. Borderline-europe's activities include documenting conditions in border regions, publishing reports and other materials, supporting humanitarian initiatives and connecting the public, media and organizers with people who can provide information about migration policy and border conditions. It campaigns for legal routes of escape and travel, criticizes military or coercive approaches to migration control, and works to build cooperation among European non-governmental organizations addressing displacement and migration. Its program has included conferences, public events, event series and transnational projects. The organization developed a presence in Berlin, Sicily and Lesbos. The Berlin office has supported research, refugee campaigns, events opposing right-wing populism and cooperation with humanitarian groups such as Alarm Phone, Sea-Watch and Jugend Rettet. The Palermo branch monitors the circumstances of refugees arriving at transit facilities and seeking access to asylum procedures. On Lesbos, borderline-europe has worked with Lesvos Solidarity on a contact point for refugees and local residents. The activities associated with that cooperation include language courses, legal advice, educational provision for children and adults, psychosocial support and leisure programs. In 2012, borderline-europe received the Aachen Peace Prize. The award marked the organization's role in linking human rights observation with peace advocacy and public criticism of European border policy. Its continuing identity is that of a German-based, internationally active civil-society organization whose work connects local observation at migration routes with European-level debate about asylum, rescue, border enforcement and solidarity.

• 2012

  Aachen Peace Prize

  [1]Borderline-europeen.wikipedia.org

  Borderline-europe received the Aachen Peace Prize for its work defending human rights and challenging harmful border practices.

• 2009

  Acquittal in the Cap Anamur case

  [1]Borderline-europeen.wikipedia.org

  After a five-year legal process, Stefan Schmidt and Elias Bierdel were acquitted in Italy of aiding and abetting irregular entry in connection with the Cap Anamur rescue.

• 2007

  Borderline-europe founded

  [1]Borderline-europeen.wikipedia.org

  Judith Gleitze, Harald Glöde, Stefan Schmidt and Elias Bierdel founded borderline-europe as a human rights organization focused on Europe's external borders.

• 2004

  Cap Anamur rescue operation

  [1]Borderline-europeen.wikipedia.org

  The rescue ship Cap Anamur saved 37 people in distress at sea. The subsequent prosecution of captain Stefan Schmidt and organization chairman Elias Bierdel became an important precursor to borderline-europe's focus on civilian rescue and the criminalization of assistance.

An independent, field-oriented human rights NGO that combines border monitoring, documentation, public advocacy and support for humanitarian initiatives concerning refugees and migrants.

• Research and observation

  Border monitoring

  Field-based observation and research in border regions, including monitoring the treatment of refugees and migrants, conditions in transit locations and access to asylum procedures. The work is intended to provide independent evidence for public debate and advocacy concerning European border policy.

• Reports and public information

  Documentation and publications

  Reports, documentation and other publications describing conditions at EU external borders and examining the consequences of isolation, deterrence, militarized border control and restrictions on humanitarian assistance.

• Humanitarian and community support

  Humanitarian border support

  Support for initiatives assisting refugees and migrants at border locations. Activities associated with the Lesbos work include language learning, legal information, educational activities, psychosocial support and recreational programming for refugees and local residents.

• Advocacy and civil-society networking

  Public advocacy and networking

  Public events, conferences, press contacts, political education and cooperation among European organizations working on displacement and migration. The organization uses these activities to promote legal escape routes and oppose the criminalization of rescue and humanitarian assistance.

• Campaign for legal escape routes

  European Union

  Advocacy calling for safe and legal routes through which people seeking protection can reach Europe without relying on dangerous journeys or smugglers.

  Source
• Against the militarization of EU borders

  European Union external borders

  Public advocacy opposing military and coercive approaches to preventing migrants from reaching Europe, including criticism of border-security policies associated with Frontex.

  Source
• Support for humanitarian rescue and assistance

  Mediterranean · European Union external borders

  Support for organizations and initiatives that provide humanitarian assistance or rescue people in distress, together with opposition to the criminalization of such activity.

  Source

• Establishment of a multi-location border-monitoring modelStrategy

  Background

  The organization sought to connect German public advocacy with direct observation of migration routes and asylum access in major border regions.

  Action taken

  It developed a Berlin base alongside branch offices in Palermo, Sicily, and on Lesbos, Greece, combining research, documentation, humanitarian cooperation and public communication.

  Aftermath

  The structure enabled borderline-europe to link local field information with broader European campaigning and NGO networks.

  Source

1. 1Borderline-europeen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Borderline-europe official websiteborderline-europe.de