Since mid-March, the Latvian organization "I want to help refugees" (GPB) has received 46 messages from people located in Belarus near the Latvian border, mainly seeking asylum advice, medical help, or reporting missing relatives. This follows the closure of the Paternieki border crossing on March 16.
While the GPB hotline is intended for emergency medical aid at the Latvian border, it is widely shared among migrants, leading to a range of inquiries, mostly from Sudanese and Somali nationals. Most contacts are men or male groups, with some reports from women and families. One unaccompanied minor and a pregnant woman were also among those who reached out.
From March 16 to April 27, 1,548 people were prevented from crossing into Latvia. Only one person was admitted on humanitarian grounds after contacting GPB for medical help. Key issues reported: 10 cases of alleged violent refoulement, including electric shocks and repeated pushbacks. 6 medical requests, with 1 successful admission to Latvia. 2 missing persons cases (from Somalia and India). 1 reported death, likely occurring on the Lithuanian-Belarusian border.