UN refugee agency urges Poland and Lithuania not to turn away Chechens

Concerned about reports that Chechens are being barred from entering Poland and Lithuania following the recent Chechen terrorist attack in Moscow, officials with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) have urged the two countries not to close their doors to asylum seekers from the war-torn Russian republic.

Last week, Lithuanian border guards refused entry to 26 Chechens and returned them to Belarus, which detained at least 17 before sending them back to Moscow, according to UNHCR.

In neighbouring Poland, charity groups have reported dozens of cases of Chechens being turned away from the country's eastern border since the 23 October terrorist attack on a Moscow theatre by Chechen separatists.

In public comments, Polish and Lithuanian officials have linked the new policy to last month's attack in Moscow. UNHCR officials said increased caution was understandable but warned against measures that could put legitimate asylum seekers at risk.

"We share Poland's and Lithuania's concerns about terrorism for which there is no excuse, but that concern does not justify a blanket refusal to consider asylum claims from Chechens who could face persecution," said Raymond Hall, the Director of UNHCR's Europe Bureau.

UNHCR officials described the new policy on Chechens as a "step backwards," pointing out that denying them the opportunity to apply for asylum was incompatible with the two countries' national laws and international commitments.