WeMove Europe is an independent and values-based organisation that seeks to build people power to transform Europe in the name of our community, future generations and the planet.
On 29 April 2022, Fabrice Leggeri resigned as Director of Frontex – the secretive and well-funded EU border force. Leggeri resigned following years of mounting pressure from all sides: MEPs, journalists, NGOs, citizens and civil society. Over 65,000 of us took action, signing the petition, and sending emails to Leggeri and others at Frontex demanding his resignation.
But there’s so much work left to do to guarantee dignity for all people on the move. Holding Frontex’s Director accountable is not enough. There is a whole system in place that allows that our governments to violate the rights of people on the move that our community will continue to fight against.
To Fabrice Leggeri, Director of FRONTEX
Petition
We hereby call on you, Fabrice Leggeri, to resign immediately as Director of FRONTEX.
Why is this important?
The allegations are shocking: EU agency FRONTEX helped Greek border guards act like pirates. They attacked migrants in unstable boats, forcing them away from EU waters, to be left stranded at sea. The investigations show FRONTEX also witnessed numerous other violent incidents, and tried to cover them up. [1]
The Director of FRONTEX, Fabrice Leggeri, is personally implicated: he knew about the abuse and violations of human rights and lied to Parliament. [2] At the beginning of December he was grilled by MEPs again, but he’s refusing to accept any responsibility and is resisting calls to resign. [3]
Journalists have worked tirelessly to uncover the abuses. MEPs are calling for him to resign. [4] Even FRONTEX officials themselves are leaking details of violations! But the voices of outrage from citizens like us are missing. Will you join me in calling on Leggeri to resign?
Even after Leggeri is gone, huge problems with FRONTEX will remain. It has always been a problematic organisation. It operates in a legal gray area with no way to hold it to account. Getting rid of Leggeri can only be a first step, but it’s a crucial one if we’re going to have any chance of abolishing FRONTEX at all.
References:
- https://www.nytimes.com/2020/11/26/world/europe/frontex-migrants-pushback-greece.html
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/2020/10/23/frontex-at-fault-european-border-force-complicit-in-illegal-pushbacks/ - https://www.guengl.eu/frontex-chief-must-be-sacked-after-migrant-pushback-expose/
https://www.socialistsanddemocrats.eu/newsroom/sds-call-frontex-director-resign - https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20201126IPR92509/
https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/committee-on-civil-liberties-justice-and-home-affairs_20201130-1645-COMMITTEE-LIBE_vd - https://www.euronews.com/2020/12/01/meps-call-for-eu-border-agency-director-to-resign-over-migrant-pushbacks
Please can you chip in?
Thank you for taking action by asking the Director of FRONTEX to resign.
Our fight for human rights and the right to asylum is just beginning. This campaign only begins with Leggeri's resignation - there's so much more work we need to do to make sure FRONTEX respects human rights.
But to have real impact, our campaign and actions have to be funded. Can you donate a few euros a month so that together we fight for human rights at Europe's borders?
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Can you spread the word?
EU border chief, resign after human rights abuses
Next step - spread the word
EU border chief, resign after human rights abuses
Tweet to Ylva Johansson, Commissioner for Home Affairs
We wrote to Ylva Johansson, Commission for Home Affairs asking for an urgent meeting to discuss allegations of human rights abuses against migrants by Greece and EU’s border agency Frontex, but neither she nor her office have gotten back to us yet.
This issue is urgent. If she sees our whole community reaching out to her on twitter on International Migration Day, it could convince her to meet with us and take this issue seriously.