with 120 other people. During their last moments in Greece, they had their heads forcefully held and their hair cut by the officers and were beaten, minors and adults, with large metal batons for about 1 hour according to the respondent. This violence led to severe injuries for some people. The interviewee’s ribs were broken and his leg was badly injured. Two persons from the group were unable to move and were unconscious. Border Violence Monitoring Network. (April 27, 2020). Lavara, Evros. Retrived from https://www.borderviolence.eu/violence-reports/april-27-2020-2130-lavara-evros/ Having identified the use of excessive and disproportionate force by the Gre- the last three years and had an asylum ek police in almost 90% of testimonies applicants card identification provided from Greece, BVMN affirms that Article to asylum seekers, that regularised his 3 of ECHR is violated and is deeply con- stay in Greece. The respondent expla- cerned by the nature of the tactics uti- ins that since in Drama Paranesti people lized by the Greek police against peop- were regularly beaten by the aut le-on-the- move. horities, many people took part in a hun- Electric Discharge Weapons (EDWs) ger strike. On the 23rd April 2020, police officers removed at least 24 people from A second deeply concerning practice is the centre including the respondent. the disproportionate and unnecessary BVMN identified testimonies recorded by ve and dispropor- BVMN in 2020 contain tionate force by the use of EDW against the Greek police people-on-the-move in testimonies. Amygdaleza in Athens but were taken ge Weapons. 10% of the the use of excessi- in almost 90% of They were told they would be taken to use of Electric Dischar- Greece. to the Turkish border. At the border, over the next 6 hours, officers used electric tasers and water immersions to torment them. The respondent described how the officers held his head under water, Furthermore, “effectively drowning him.”Afterwards, considering the health the group was taken to the Evros River, risks its use can cause, beaten with batons and threatened with the absence of any follow-up procedure knives. As a result of this treatment, many or suffered from injuries and were placed at medical aftercare for victims is additio- the hospital in Turkey. nally concerning. The respondent who applied for asylum The respondent had been in Greece for in 2018 was awaiting the outcome of his 5

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