After nightfall, trucks rumble up to the Evros River in northern
Greece. Small boats are tied up at the riverbank. Armed,
uniformed Greek security personnel climb out of the trucks and
peer across the water. If there are no signs of border guards on
the Turkish side of the river, they quickly unload their cargo,
undocumented migrants picked up in sweeps conducted
throughout Greece. They roughly order the migrants onboard
the boats for the short ride across the river to an uncertain
fate in Turkey and away from the safeguards European Union
member states are committed – on paper – to provide.
Athens was selected to be the host, in early November, of the Third Global Forum on Migration
and Development, with scores of delegates discussing global migration-related topics.
Meanwhile, the host country’s already-abysmal treatment of undocumented migrants is getting
worse, with:
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Greece is often the first country on the way to Europe for migrants arriving from
Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.
© 2009 Fruitmachine
CONTENTS
07
SECRET EXPULSIONS AT THE BORDER
09
CAUGHT AT SEA
09
CRACKING DOWN
13
MISTREATMENT OF CHILDREN
17
A BROKEN ASYLUM SYSTEM
19
REVOLVING DOOR DETENTION
19
TIME FOR A CHANGE
20
DETENTION CONDITIONS
21
RECOMMENDATIONS
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The forced, secret expulsions across the Evros River that expanded in the summer of
2009 to include irregular migrants apprehended not only in the border region but also in
the cities and islands;
The harsh and demeaning conditions in which detained migrants are often held;
The alarmingly inadequate attention and care for unaccompanied migrant children; and
A broken asylum system that grants protection to only 0.05 percent of applicants
at initial hearings, and changes to the national asylum law in July that eliminated
meaningful appeals.
All in all, Greece has failed to live up to its international legal obligations to migrants
and refugees. While the newly elected administration has made some encouraging
announcements, such as the release of 1,200 undocumented migrants from detention and
a review of Coast Guard and police force practices, there remain serious concerns about
whether the host of the Third Global Forum on Migration and Development respects the basic
rights of migrants.
Greece is, of course, the front line for migration to the European Union. The country has 1,170
kilometers of porous land borders and 18,400 kilometers of coastline, including islands
close to Turkey. By virtue of its geographic location, Greece is the main entry point for asylum
seekers and migrants traveling overland through Turkey from the Middle East and South Asia
into the European Union, while Africans are increasingly coming to Greece via Egypt.
But being on the front line and being the host for increasing numbers of migrants and asylum
seekers does not excuse Greece’s abusive treatment of undocumented migrants, including
children and potential refugees.
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