Thousands of asylum seekers, mostly from the Middle East, Asia and Africa, living in freezing conditions in camps at the Poland-Belarus border remain in desperate need of humanitarian assistance.

At least 15 have died and, according to human rights groups, that number could increase as temperatures continue to drop, heading into winter.

Poland has deployed thousands of troops at the border to push back asylum seekers, a move human rights defenders say violates their right to due process under the 1951 Refugee Convention.

The Polish government has accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of “weaponising” migrants against the European Union by sending them to the border. “We are protecting the border of the European Union,” Poland’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcin Przydacz tells Marc Lamont Hill on UpFront.

Thousands of asylum seekers, mostly from the Middle East, Asia and Africa, living in freezing conditions in camps at the Poland-Belarus border remain in desperate need of humanitarian assistance. At least 15 have died and, according to human rights groups, that number could increase as temperatures continue to drop, heading into winter. Poland has deployed thousands of troops at the border to push back asylum seekers, a move human rights defenders say violates their right to due process under the 1951 Refugee Convention. The Polish government has accused Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko of “weaponising” migrants against the European Union by sending them to the border. “We are protecting the border of the European Union,” Poland’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Marcin Przydacz tells Marc Lamont Hill on UpFront.

With the thrust and parry of rigorous debate, Mehdi Hasan cuts through the headlines to challenge conventional wisdom, highlight contradictions and uncover double standards.

UpFront

Through rigorous debate, Marc Lamont Hill cuts through the headlines to challenge conventional wisdom.

Through rigorous debate, Marc Lamont Hill cuts through the headlines to challenge conventional wisdom.