During 2025, a total number of 15,183 third country nationals have been detained in PRDCs across the
country.
By 31 December 2025, a total number of 1,824 third-country nationals remained in administrative
detention in PRDCs,1168 while another 204 remained in administrative detention in police stations and
other police buildings.1169 In addition, another 558 persons, all of whom had expressed their will to apply
for asylum, were administratively detained in the Special Detention Facility of Sintiki (Serres),1170 which
was established in part of the Controlled Temporary Reception Centre Sintiki and placed under the
competence of the Hellenic Police for the purposes of implementing the Greek Government’s decision to
suspend access to asylum for persons arriving by sea from North Africa, pursuant to Article 79 L.
5218/2025. Thus, on 31 December 2025 the total number of third country nationals in immigration
detention was 2,586 persons.
Out of the total 1,824 persons detained in PRDCs at the end of 2025, 593 (32.5%) were asylum applicants.
Moreover, on 31 December 2025, 21.5% of persons detained in PRDCs (393) had been in detention for
a period exceeding six (6) months.1171
Finally, a number of 431 unaccompanied children have been detained (‘hosted’ according to the
information provided by the Police) in PRDCs during 2025, prior to their placement in a shelter for
UAMs.1172 Following the abolition of ‘protective custody’ of unaccompanied children in 2020 (L. 4760/2020
entered into force on 11 December 2020) as a rule unaccompanied children are not detained for migration
purposes. The number above refers to children who remained for short or very short periods in PRDCs
prior their placement in shelters for UAMs.
Administrative detention: 2019-2025
2019
2020
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
Total number of asylum
seekers detained in
PRDCs
23,348
10,130
6,447
11,857
7,866
5,167
3,280
Total number of
persons detained in
PRDCs
30,007
14,993
12,020
18,966
19,003
15,994
15,183
Source: Directorate of the Hellenic Police, 8 February 2020, 11 February 2021, 8 March 2022, 2 February 2023, 18
January 2024, 16 January 2025, 6 March 2026.
The breakdown of detained asylum seekers and the total population of detainees per pre-removal centre
was as follows during the year:
Breakdown of asylum seekers detained by pre-removal centre in 2024
Centres
Detention throughout 2025
Detention at the end of 2025
Total population
Asylum seekers
Total population
Amygdaleza
4,074
206
634
Tavros (Petrou Ralli)
2,214
41
129
Corinth
936
136
323
Paranesti, Drama
940
101
242
1168
1169
1170
1171
1172
Ibid.
RSA, Deportation and immigration detention statistics in Greece in 2025, March 2026, available at:
https://tinyurl.com/3meetrzh, p.1.
Information provided by the Directorate of the Hellenic Police, 6 March 2026.
Information provided by the Directorate of the Hellenic Police, 6 March 2026
Ibid.
236