835054
Testimony- Testimony collected by
- Border Violence Monitoring Network
- Date and location recorded
- 2022, Thessaloniki, Northern Greece
- Detention centre related
- Detention Centre Country
- Greece 2
- Duration of detention
- 6 - 12 months
- Nationality
- Kurdistan-Iran
- Age
- 33
- Gender
- Male
- LGBTQI
- No answer
- Type of arrest
- Individual
- Why was the respondent detained?
- Detained after rejected asylum procedure
- Detained before?
- Yes
- Was the respondent informed of the duration of detention?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent experience any violence?
- Yes
- Type of violence experienced
- Exposure to extreme temperatures and weather
- Isolation
- Physical violence
- Strip search
- Was the respondent forced to sign documents?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent have access to translation?
- Yes
- Did the respondent have access to medical aid?
- Yes, limited
- Did the respondent have access to NGOs?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent have access to legal support?
- Private lawyer
- Did the respondent apply for asylum?
- Yes
- Appealed?
- Yes
- Number detained in cell
- 10+
- Number detainees sharing WC
- 10+
- Hygiene rating
- Very poor
- Type of cell
- Room, shared
- Had access to phone?
- Unknown
- Had access to WiFi?
- Unknown
- Ventilation
- None
- Participated in hunger strike / protest?
- Unknown
- Had conflicts with other detainees?
- Unknown
- Meal quality
- Low quality
- Meal quantity
- Unknown
- Had access to water?
- Unknown
- Had access to outdoor space?
- Unknown
- Had access to educational resources?
- None
- Had access to religious space?
- Unknown
- Had access to electricity?
- Unknown
- Had access to bed?
- Unknown
- Had access to laundry?
- Unknown
- Had access to toilet articles?
- Unknown
- Had access to mattress?
- Unknown
- Narrative
The respondent is 33 years old and is from Kurdish Iran. He was apprehended in Athens due to not having valid documents and taken directly to Amygdaleza PRDC where he was held for 15-20 days in a container with 8 people. He did not have access to any facilities in the container as they were told they were in quarantine. He was then transferred to Corinth PRDC, which he reported was worse than Amygdaleza. Due to it being winter, and without access to heating, he was extremely cold. There were 12 people per room in Corinth, and poor access to showers and toilets, which were usually broken. The food was poor quality and reportedly 80% of the time, made of potato. The police continuously carried out body searches and checked detainees’ belongings, which made the respondent feel like a criminal. He also reported that police were physically violent with detainees, but that they would be taken away from their cells for 1-2 hours and returned with cuts and bruises on their faces. Medical care was rarely provided despite him asking to see a doctor many times. He received translation support online, but when he attended his asylum interview, there was no translator, so the interview was postponed again. It took 2 months for him to get his rejection, after which he made a subsequent application, which was also rejected. With the support of a lawyer which cost 1800 Euros, he was released after around 7 months. His mental health deteriorated significantly in detention.