Parliament adopted the changes in July 2021 in response to a massive increase in the number of migrants crossing the Belarusian border. Since then, anyone who crossed the border of the Baltic EU and NATO country irregularly from Belarus has been detained for up to six months.
In addition, the rights of appeal for rejected asylum seekers have been restricted. The rigid laws were intended to deter migrants from entering the country. The decision followed a complaint by an Iraqi citizen who had challenged his six-month detention.