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German approval sought through tough asylum approach

By Liz Fekete

1 October 1996

The research organisation FFM says that Polish attitudes toward asylum-seekers are changing as the government moves to show Germany that it is willing to get tough on those who travel through Poland seeking entry to Germany.

Previously, asylum-seekers returned to Poland by Germany were set free, but now they are imprisoned.

Communist 'unauthorised exit' law used against asylum-seekers

The trial of 20 Macedonians at Szcecin is a case in point. Ironically, the Macedonians were prosecuted under a law introduced by the former communist regime with a view to preventing its own citizens from leaving for the West. Under this law, 'unauthorised exit' constitutes an offence.

FFM also believes that the introduction of a new paragraph to the Polish criminal code, which makes the 'creation of a criminal organisation' punishable by up to 10 years' imprisonment, could be used against those found guilty of providing 'organised assistance' to 'unauthorised exit'.

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