and unfavorable weather conditions which rendered travel to the facility impossible. The data and observations informing the conclusions of the case study are based only on the days the mission was able to access the facility and the detainee population, and they serve as a starting point for a broader analysis of the status and experience of minors in detention in the region. It should be noted that the present report only covers the experience of unaccompanied minors arrested by the police authorities in Orestiada. The occurrence of accompanied minors held in the same premises under identical conditions ± most often in WKHZRPHQ¶Vcell with a female family member ± is also very high, and includes mostly children under the age of ten. The actual number of children entering the Greek territory through this specific prefecture cannot be estimated. Apart from the children that are additionally arrested under the competence of the Police Directorates of Alexandroupoli and Komotini 4, there are others missing and/or escaping arrest. Their numbers remain unknown. Many families are separated while crossing the borders one way or the other, while there are high numbers of children found dead either from drowning in the Evros river or from hypothermia. Most of their bodies remain unclaimed5. Finally, it should be noted that conditions prevailing in the region have been significantly and consistently in flux throughout the year that the case study was conducted. From March through September 2011, there was limited involvement of 1*2¶VFRQGXFWLQJDLGDQGDVVLVWDQFHSURJUDPVLQWKHUHJLRQ At the same time, harsh and severe policies regarding asylum seekers and their detention were recorded among the three regional police authorities. Since October 2011, some progress has been made on this front, though conditions remain far below the optimal levels. With regards to the 4 In Komotini last year have been arrested 30, minors according to their statements, in Alexandroupolis more or less 50. According to the responsible police and coronary authorities, the topography of the area with the special features of the Evros river (depth, flow, currents, and plantation) consists a restraining factor in recovering anything sunken, indefinitely. Therefore, the number of diseased - regardless of age - while crossing the border, can neither be calculated nor estimated 5 4