»The truth may be bitter, but it must be told« Appendix: Results of the journey from 4 - 8 October 2007 From 4 - 8 October 2007 Günter Burkhardt and Karl Kopp (PRO ASYL) met in Mitilini (Lesbos) with representatives of the asylum lobbies from Lesbos, Chios and Samos, and representatives of the Group of Lawyers for the Rights of Refugees and Migrants in Athens. On Friday 5 October, representatives of the Asylum lobby from Lesbos, Karl Kopp and Günter Burkhardt visited the detention camp Mitilini. The police made it possible for us to see the camp and to speak at length with prisoners. On 7 October 2007 lawyer Marianna Tzeferakou, lawyer Natassa Strachini and Günter Burkhardt conducted further interviews with individual refugees. The outcome of these interviews was: The violation of Human Rights that occurred in June and July 2007, documented in the above report, continues. It would appear that this is systematic. 2. Blows and Abuse 1. Refoulement at sea In the camp there are telephones but they are not within reach for the inmates. They are outside the hangars in the yard, where the refugees are not allowed. Report of the Afghan youth A., 14 years old »They stopped our rubber dinghy and took us on board. They started to hit us straight away. They took away my mobile phone and looked into my mouth, even in intimate body parts. All the money I had was taken away from me. In front of my eyes they threw the holy book [Comment: The Koran] into the sea. Then they took us in the direction of Turkey and put us on an island. We were there for one day – without food, without water. A fishing boat went by and gave a signal. The Turkish coast guard then came and picked us up and took us to prison. After a day we were allowed out and went to Istanbul. Luckily, the next attempt to get to Greece was successful.« »If I ask for salt they threaten to send me back to Turkey. I am afraid to speak freely, get me out of here« begs D., refugee from Iraq. He complains about the abuse in the camp: »We have no clean water, we are not allowed in the yard, there is only a cold shower, the toilet does not work.« Finally D. plucks up courage and dares to report further. He points to his teeth. On the right side he is missing two molars. »They were knocked out at sea«, he whispers. He complains that the coast guard took 500 Dollars and his mobile telephone from him. »All my telephone numbers were saved in it. I cannot even let my parents know, they will think I died at sea«, he says. 3. Refusal of Medical Help In fluent English the Iraqi refugee C. reports; »I had to leave Iraq. I was working as computer specialist for the ›coalition‹. That’s why I became a target for attack. I was injured by a bomb attack; I still have splinters in my stomach.« He also reports that he has pain in his kidneys and urgently needs medicines. The refugee supports himself on crutches; we speak to him also through the grilled door of the warehouse. Report of the Afghan refugee C., approx. 23 years old »I was already in Mitilini – three hours long. Then other police came, I had to get into a car and we drove off, through the mountains to another coast. From there I was taken back to Turkey in a small boat.« »I need a doctor again, help me get out of here«, he says. He has been imprisoned for nine days. When we returned with the lawyers on 7 October 2007 he was still in prison. The physical examination promised on 5 October in the hospital did not happen. Mr C. was allowed to leave the warehouse to speak with us. Laboriously he dragged himself on his crutches to the bench in the yard where we conducted the interview. Appendix: Results of the journey from 4 - 8 October 2007 37