1 INTRODUCTION Since 2016, Greece has been the sandbox for the development of new European asylum policies. In the absence of EU-wide consensus on the reform and harmonization of the Common European Asylum System, the Greek government, with the support of the European Commission, has reformed its laws and practices. One of these practices is the increased use of administrative detention to control and deter asylum seekers and restrict their freedoms. 2 This report looks at the practice of administrative detention of migrants in Greece. It examines how widespread the practice is, its compatibility with human rights (especially the duration of detention and detention of persons with vulnerabilities) and suggests alternatives to detention. The paper describes the legal provisions on administrative detention and the instances in which the authorities use administrative detention, especially concerning asylum seekers. The paper also features testimonies from people who have been detained while seeking asylum. According to existing legislation and in accordance with EU administrative law, detention of asylum seekers should only be used as a last resort. Depriving people of their freedom is dehumanizing and should not be undertaken unless all other options have been considered, especially in relation to people who are simply seeking safety. As there are alternatives to detention that are not being utilized, detaining people for immigration reasons is therefore a political choice. Our research shows that the Greek authorities, rather than looking at alternatives, are imposing detention in a generalized manner, including on asylum seekers. This generalized detention is often prolonged due to administrative delays and comes at the cost of migrants’ rights. Greek legislation allows for this generalized trend of detention. A recent amendment to the law gave Greek authorities the power to impose detention on undocumented migrants without first examining the possibility of alternative measures. The Greek authorities also appear to be promoting the EU-introduced model of ‘closed and controlled’ centres as a means of controlling the movement and living conditions of the refugee population. Images from the recently opened centre in Samos, which is due to house 3,000 asylum seekers, reveal the reality of generalized detention – a breach of the right to liberty and a dead end for the purpose of integration. It is important to note that the construction of this new ‘closed and controlled center’ is fully funded by the Asylum, Migration & Integration Fund of the European Union. 3 5