Poland-Belarus Migrant Crisis 'Intolerable': UN

UN human rights chief Michelle Bachelet on Wednesday branded the migrant crisis on the border between Poland and Belarus "intolerable" and said the asylum seekers should not spend another night stranded.

"I am appalled that large numbers of migrants and refugees continue to be left in a desperate situation in near-freezing temperatures at the Belarus-Poland border," Bachelet said in a statement.

"I urge the states involved to take immediate steps to de-escalate and resolve this intolerable situation in line with their obligations under international human rights law and refugee law."

Poland said Wednesday it had seen a surge in attempts to breach its border and had pushed back hundreds of migrants to Belarus, after it accused Minsk and Moscow of trying to orchestrate a crisis on Europe's borders.

The migrants, mainly from the Middle East, have spent days in freezing temperatures on the border, blocked by rows of Polish border guards behind razor-wire.

Western governments have accused Belarusian president Alexander Lukashenko of luring the migrants to his country and sending them to cross over into EU member Poland in retaliation for sanctions.

Bachelet said the strong, security-focused and politically-charged responses to the situation on both sides, including through the increased deployment of troops, was exacerbating the vulnerability and risks faced by the migrants and refugees.

She called on the authorities to ensure that human rights were the "paramount concern".

"Immediate access should be granted to humanitarian actors, as well as other civil society and journalists and lawyers," Bachelet added.

The former Chilean president stressed that under international law, nobody should ever be prevented from seeking asylum.

"Several people have already died over the past few months -- governments in the region cannot stand by and allow more lives to be lost. States have an obligation to protect the right to life.

"These hundreds of men, women and children must not be forced to spend another night in freezing weather without adequate shelter, food, water and medical care."