Hans Leijtens, Director of Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, told Euronews this week that he “doesn’t want” to return migrants to Libya— but does anyway. While painting his agency as reluctantly complicit in the abuse of migrants, Leijtens’ comments obscure the role Frontex plays in a system that watchdogs say is knowingly endangering lives and pushing people into forced labor.

Shifting blame while facilitating abuse

Hans Leijtens, executive director of Frontex, told Euronews,

“I don’t want people to be returned to Libya… but if I have to choose, again, I’d rather save lives than not save lives.”

This framing obscures Frontex’s real role. The agency uses aerial surveillance to spot boats crossing the central Mediterranean. They frequently alert Libyan authorities rather than humanitarian rescue groups. Libya, where migrants and refugees face widespread detention, torture, and forced labor, is not a place of safety—and EU agencies know this.

Leijtens defended this approach, saying, “it’s the only way we can do it.” But Human Rights Watch has described such interceptions and returns as violations of international law.

The United Nations has consistently warned that Libya cannot be considered a safe port. Yet Frontex continues to send people back, describing these returns as rescue coordination. The result? Thousands of persons funneled into exploitative detention centers where forced labor and sexual abuse are rife.  

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