Poland's president signs new law restricting asylum rights

WARSAW, Poland — Poland's President Andrzej Duda on Wednesday signed a new law that restricts the rights of people to request asylum at a time when Poland is strengthening its border with Belarus due to what it describes as hybrid war tactics using migration.

“I believe that it is necessary to strengthen the security of our borders and the security of Poles,” Duda said in announcing that he had signed the bill after its passage by lawmakers.

Prime Minister Donald Tusk had appealed to Duda to sign the legislation. Duda had in the past expressed concerns that it could make it harder for dissidents in authoritarian Belarus to flee the repressive regime there.

The new legislations introduces temporary restrictions on the right to submit an application for international protection for those who have crossed the border into the NATO and European Union member state illegally.

Human rights activists have criticized the bill.