Poland Changes Approach to Granting Asylum for One Group of Belarusians
The Office for Foreigners in Poland has recognized Belarusian independent journalists as an "especial social group," which allows them to obtain refugee status specifically due to their professional activities.
Illustrative photo. Source: "Nasha Niva"
Currently, this is the only profession considered as a separate vulnerable group, alongside public politicians from the Belarusian opposition.
"Independent journalists previously received both refugee status and subsidiary protection. But for a long time, their cases were primarily assessed through the prism of past detentions, political views, public profile, and 'level of fame'," clarifies lawyer Volha Dabravolskaya. "Of course, journalists will still need to prove the risk or fact of persecution related to their professional activities, but now they can do so based on the very fact of their activities. That is, the Office has recognized that such a group exists, that it is vulnerable, and that this is linked to individual persecution."
Volha has been helping various Belarusians in exile for six years, during which time her clients were mainly granted subsidiary protection, not refugee status — even in cases where people fully met the definition of a refugee under the Geneva Convention.
But the recently received decisions in journalistic cases are an important turning point for the entire journalistic community in Poland. Representatives of other professions, such as lawyers, do not currently have such a privilege.
Example of a decision granting refugee status
"It was always necessary to appeal every decision. Previously, refugee status was granted only due to public prominence. But now, in the last three cases, clients were granted refugee status purely for being part of a professional group — independent journalists. At the same time, the applicants were not public figures."
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