Red Cross questions Lithuania on trying to block migrants

The Red Cross is warning that Lithuania's decision to turn away immigrants attempting to cross in from neighboring Belarus does not comply with international law

VILNIUS, Lithuania -- The Red Cross warned Wednesday that Lithuania's decision to turn away immigrants attempting to cross in from neighboring Belarus does not comply with international law. Lithuania, a member of the European Union, has faced a surge of mostly Asian migrants in the past few months. It says that's due to retaliation by Belarus’ authoritarian President Alexander Lukashenko after the EU put sanctions on his country over an air piracy incident. The Lithuanian Interior Ministry this week distributed a video shot from a helicopter showing large groups of immigrants being escorted to Lithuania’s border by Belarus border guard vehicles. On Tuesday, Lithuania said it reserved the right to use force to stop such illegal immigration and turned away 180 people attempting to enter the country. But rights groups noted that all nations have an obligation to protect vulnerable people. “Push backs of people seeking asylum are not compatible with the Geneva Convention on Refugee Status, the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and other human rights instruments” Egle Samuchovaite, program director for Lithuania's Red Cross, told The Associated Press.