on the truck. Then he called the police. When the officers finished unloading all the boxes, they could see both of us. We came out. There were 3-4 police officers and some other persons in plainclothes who were taking photos of us. My friend is also a minor. I think he is 14 to 15 years old - even younger than me. There was no interpreter. They asked us with gestures if we had eaten anything. We let them understand that we were hungry. They took us in a car. We asked where they were bringing us and they replied: “Camp! Camp!” They brought us back to the ship. My friend started crying. They told him: “No problem!” We were taken on the 2nd floor of the ship into a white room. One of its walls was full of inscriptions, memories of others who were also deported. The ship crew gave us a sandwich and a bottle of water. When we wanted to use the bathroom, we had to knock that door. When we arrived in Patras, we were taken to the old port. We were interrogated for about an hour. They wanted to know exactly how we managed to go to Italy. Then we were released. In Italy, they only asked us if we speak English.” M., from Afghanistan57 / Venice - Patras “Three months ago I managed to arrive in Venice. The ship arrived around 11pm. I was hiding under a truck on its axle. They found me during a control, before arriving at the port. The driver turned on the engine and then he turned it off again. He understood something was wrong. Then he came to check together with the ship security and saw me. They locked me up in a room. There was a security camera in that room. I was only allowed to go at the toilet once. It was very cold. I was wearing just a t-shirt. They brought me some food, but my hands were black from the truck. The Italian police came and asked me some questions. I told them I was 16 years old but they did not believe me. I had to sign a paper. There was no interpreter with them. They did not ask me if I wanted to apply for asylum. I stayed there, until the ship returned back to Greece. In Patras I was held in the container at the old port. I was in a miserable health condition when they let me go.” H.R. (17), from Afghanistan56 / Venice - Patras M.J. (17), from Afghanistan58 / Venice - Patras “It was in August 2011. They checked the ship before arriving at the port of Venice. We were on the Minoan Lines. We were inside a truck full of alcohol and we could not breathe anymore. So we started knocking, so that someone could notice us. They found us four hours before reaching the port of Venice. We were locked up, in the garage, in a storage room. The crew was ok with us. In Venice, we were taken to the police station in the port, around 1am. We stayed there until 12am and were then taken back on the same ship and in the same room. No organization came to see us. Two friends of mine who could speak English begged the police to let us stay in Italy and not deport us. But we were all sent back to Greece. We were seven persons. We could not go to the toilet. They gave us bottles to pee in.” “I arrived in Venice two months ago. It was with ANEK Lines. I was hiding under a truck. The engine of the truck broke. Then two members of the crew found me. I had been hiding for two days and a half. I could not come out because I was unable to move. There was also a friend of mine. Finally, the Italian police had to pull me out. They brought us some hot water. I fainted. An ambulance came, but the police did not allow them to take us to the hospital. Instead the police officers lifted us up and brought us in a room, where they locked us up. After that we did not see anybody. They gave us once some food. We drank water from the bathroom. Upon arrival to Patras, we stayed overnight in the container in the old port. Then I was released.” J., from Afghanistan59 / Venice - Patras “Three months ago we were hiding inside a truck. 56 Interview held on April 2, 2012 in Patras 57 58 59 Interview held on April 3, 2012 in Patras Interview held on April 4, 2012 in Patras Interview held on May 11, 2012 in Patras 23