us where we came from and how we came. They did not ask us if we want to apply for asylum and I remember there was a helicopter flying over our there was no interpreter anyway. There was also heads, when we were in Italy. When I arrived at the no lawyer. Nobody explained us our rights or the shore, I sat on the rail trails alone. On the opposite procedures. Nothing! I cannot feel respect neither side there was a house and one of its residents saw for Europe nor for Italy for what they are doing to me carrying out the corpse from the water. I made us! a sign to him to call an ambulance. Five minutes later the ambulance arrived and it carried away the The day before deporting us back to Greece, it was injured and the dead ones. I was only wearing my the first time we were allowed to make a phone call. underwear when I started walking down the street. The day after, at 5am, while I was praying an officer I found some clothes and dressed up. On my way I came. I asked him if he had any good news for us. found some of the others who were with me on He said: “I have passports for you!” I asked: “You the same boat. The police arrived shortly after and mean you will deport us?” Then he just laughed. picked us up one by one. Five cars came with officers. They took us on a bus They brought us to a place not far from Siderno, to the port of Bari, where we waited inside the where we arrived. I saw a sign on the street. It bus until the afternoon. They then drove next to was kind of a small prison, but we fitted all forty a building of the port and asked us whether we inside. I was told the place belonged to a church. wanted to go to the toilet. We had already peed The building had seven floors. We were kept on the in bottles, so nobody left the bus. The bus then seventh floor. At the entrance there was the police brought us back to the big Superfast ferry. guarding. I think they just kept us in detention for so long, The police asked us why we came to Italy. What a until those injured would get better and they question! We have problems. That’s why we came. could be send back to Greece with us. We were 33 The first day in this prison, the officers took six of persons returned back to Patras. It was the 8th of us around 4pm to the Court. I was one of them. May (2012). Only four of us were allowed to stay, I was not in such a bad state, but one of us was because they were registered as minors, even too weak and sick and I almost had to carry him though there were seven more minors among us on my back. At the court, I was asked about the who were sent back to Greece. smugglers. It was the one and only time I saw an interpreter during our stay in Italy. At 2am we were Nevertheless among us there were seven minors brought back after some hours of interrogation. I who were readmitted back to Greece. The Italian officers did not listen to the age we were giving guess we were all witnesses. them. They were deciding on their own who was Everything in Italy is illegal! One other day, they took a minor and who was not - according to their own us in groups of ten to another place to fingerprint estimations. Police in plainclothes came and one us. Nobody asked us any question there. I told by one we were brought in the ship, as if we were them in English that I want to seek asylum in Italy. “normal” passengers. We were brought in a room A woman in plainclothes looked at me and shook with chairs. We were locked inside there during our her head disagreeing. She said: “That’s not possible journey to Greece. anymore. There’s a new rule!” The Italian officers beat some of us badly. We asked In the prison we were kept, there was a man what was the problem. They broke the tooth of working for this church. He was very nice with us. one guy. Another one was bleeding. A third one got He brought us food every day. Some times other crazy, as if he was possessed by a “Jinni” (ghost). people would come. They would just look at us The officers said: “You came here illegally, we and laugh. The building did not look like a church. deport you back!” But why they do not ask us the reasons we came here, I wondered loudly. They did When we were caught and brought to that place, not reply. I asked many questions, but they could our clothes were wet. They brought as dry clothes not answer. Most of us were crying. I was laughing. after three days. I told them: “If you want to deport us, then do so, We stayed there for 13 days. The police only asked but answer to our questions.” Afghanistan. 26