As in previous years,1019 these substandard conditions led to a number of interventions by the ECtHR in 2025, building upon a continuum of communicated cases from previous years that highlight systemic violations in the island facilities.1020 Among these: ❖ In February 2025, the ECtHR granted interim measures to four unaccompanied children facing a four-month-long de facto detention and degrading conditions in the Samos CCAC in the case of O.A. and others v. Greece (Application Application no 2570/25). The court “acknowledge[ed]”, as noted by Human Rights Legal Support (HRLP), the organisation supporting them, “that the 4 minors are at imminent risk of irreparable harm, and ordered the Greek government to provide them with adequate food, water, clothing and medical care, to ensure their protection from illtreatment and ensure their speedy relocation to a shelter for minors”.1021 ❖ In May 2025, the ECtHR granted interim measures in cases concerning 46 UAMs who remained in conditions of de facto detention in the “safe zone” of the Samos CCAC, for an average period of 142 days, in deplorable hygiene conditions and without appropriate clothing, bedding and sleeping accommodation.1022 ❖ Similarly, in June 2025, the ECtHR granted interim measures for 13 UAMs detained in the “safe zone” of the CCAC of Leros, ordering the authorities to urgently provide clothing, hygiene items, medical care, and to relocate the children to safe and appropriate accommodation.1023 ❖ In July 2025, interim measures were granted for 9 UAMs remaining detained in the Kos CCAC “safe area”, some of them having remained in de facto detention for almost 5 months.1024 Following these interventions, by 31 December 2025, the number of UAMs remaining in unsuitable island CCACs and mainland RICs was significantly decreased, with a total of 143 UAMs reported as still residing in said facilities by year’s end, as reported by the General Secretariat for Vulnerable Persons & Institutional Protection.1025 It is, however, crucial to note that the number reported refers to UAMs already registered by the authorities and not to those whose registration is still pending1026 or who might have been registered as adults. Beyond overcrowding, testimonies refer to conditions of confinement and excessive surveillance. At the same time, there are significant recurring shortages, particularly of medical and psychosocial staff, interpretation services, and of basic necessities (food, bedding, hot water, milk intended for children, medication) and decent accommodation. Indicatively, in the same report, RSA highlights how during 2023 new arrivals in the Samos CCAC were forced to sleep on the floor, without mattresses, in a room originally intended to serve as a restaurant, due to the lack of actual accommodation places. Additionally, those 1019 1020 1021 1022 1023 1024 1025 1026 See previous AIDA reports on Greece, available at: https://asylumineurope.org/reports/country/greece/. See, inter alia, M.K. and Others against Greece (Application no. 42416/23) communicated on 25 February 2025 regarding Kos CCAC, Z.H. and S.T.H. against Greece (Application no. 34712/23) communicated on 21 March 2025 and W.B. and Others against Greece (Application no. 36142/23) communicated on 21 March 2025 regardng Samos CCAC, M.A. against Greece (Application no. 38043/21) communicated on 2 June 2025 regarding Lesvos CCAC. HRLP, “Samos CCAC “Safe” Zone : ECtHR Grants Interim Measures”, 5 February 2025, available at: https://tinyurl.com/457uuf6y. HLRP, “Interim measures granted for 46 unaccompanied children”, 21 May 2025, available at: https://tinyurl.com/6kjyjjzm. Equal Rights Beyond Borders, “European Court of Human Rights orders Greece to urgently provide essential aid and transfer 13 unaccompanied children to safe accommodation”, 25 June 2025, available at: https://tinyurl.com/ykd6czvw. Equal Rights Beyond Borders, “European Court of Human Rights Issues New Decision to Ensure the Urgent Protection of De Facto Detained Unaccompanied Minors”, 4 July 2025, available at: https://tinyurl.com/4y67u3tp. General Secretariat for Vulnerable Persons & Institutional Protection, Situation Update: Unaccompanied Minors (UAM) in Greece, 1 December 2025, available at: https://tinyurl.com/4ddcbk46. Inter alia, see AIRE Centre and GCR, Communication from NGOs (AIRE Centre and Greek Council for Refugees) (24/11/2025) concerning the cases of O.R., A.I. and Others, T.S. and M.S., T.A. and Others, N.N. and Others and W.S. v. Greece (Applications No. 24650/19, 11588/20, 15008/19, 15293/20, 59319/19, 65275/19) (Rahimi group) and reply from the authorities (26/11/2025), 26 November 2025, available at: https://tinyurl.com/4rywhr6f, para. 34. 213