beating those who had the mischance
to have an eye contact with them.
Another similar event took place at the
end of March 2020 in Kalamaria when a
33-year-old respondent was brought to
the police station by the police to check
his documents although he had presented his valid asylum applicants card. At
the station, the policemen brought documents written in Greek for him to sign
with no interpreter provided.
The respondent signed the paper thinking these were release papers. During
custody, he was not given any food or
water, and did not have access to toilets.
Border Violence Monitoring Network. (June 21, 2020). Ipsala, Edirne, Turkey. Retrived from https://www.borderviolence.eu/violence-reports/june-21-2020-2100-ipsala-edirne-turkey/
During the night, he was taken to the
Police Headquarters in Thessaloniki by
The testimony of a 21 year old male
car with other migrants including three
respondent, who was apprehended in
minors who all had legal documents to
the village of Orestiada near the Turkish
remain in Greece and which were con-
border, on 30 July, 2020, explains the
fiscated by the police.
difficult conditions which do not respect human rights they had to face when
There, he was detained for 5 days in a cell
arrested. They were not given food and
with 20 people. Their documents were
water, had water thrown to their faces,
never returned to them, and the cameras
put in a room with women and children,
on everyone’s mobile phones were bro-
had their clothes taken off and not add-
ken in order to prevent any documenta-
ressed in a language they understood. In
tion. Then they were taken to the Drama
addition to these conditions deteriora-
Paranesti Pre-removal Detention Centre
ting their dignity, officers were using vi-
where he was detained for 3 months.
olence and beating them whenever they
They were put in cells with 10-15 per-
wanted to ask for asylum. The respon-
sons being given very little, bad and un-
dent was beaten so badly with metal ba-
healthy food. In addition, they were not
tons that he could barely walk the next
given any clothes, and were constantly
day and still had bruises one month after
subjected to insults and physical violen-
the event. They were threatened with
ce. When anyone had the courage to
the words : “If you come back to Greece,
ask questions, they were beaten. After 3
we will kill you.” When officers brought
months inside Paranesti, the respondent
them back at the border, they continued
was pushed-back to Turkey, together
4