BEIRUT — The Polish Embassy in Lebanon posted a statement from the country’s foreign ministry warning would-be asylum seekers against trying to enter Poland by way of Belarus. Since the summer, a wave of migrants have attempted to use Poland as an entry point to the European Union, relying on its proximity to Belarus, which has been allowing thousands of citizens of Syria, Iraq and other conflict-torn countries to enter on tourist visas.

Here’s what we know:

    • As reported in a recent investigation by L’Orient Today, in recent weeks, Syrian refugees in Lebanon have flocked to Belarus in hopes of continuing on to the European Union. EU officials have accused Belarus of bringing in asylum seekers on tourist visas to use them as a pressure point to get the EU to lift sanctions. Polish authorities said in late September that they had tracked at least 9,400 illegal crossing attempts since August.

    • The Polish government statement warned against “dishonest ‘travel agencies’ and organized groups of human traffickers,” adding, “Illegal attempts of European Union border crossing are a risk of incarceration and severe fines, compulsory deportation and the prohibition of entry to Poland and the territory of the entire Schengen zone.”

    • Amid heightened security measures on the border, many migrants have gotten stuck in the densely forested area between Poland and Belarus, as border guards in both countries have prevented them from entering. Some have died of exposure and hypothermia.

    • Amnesty International has accused Polish authorities of illegally pushing back asylum seekers. The foreign ministry statement did not address these allegations but noted that “legal entry into the territory of the European Union over the border of the Republic of Poland requires the permission of the Border Guard” and that “presenting false information about the country of origin and attempts to obtain the refugee status based on false grounds will also be persecuted [sic] and may lead to conviction and fines.”