722861
Testimony- Testimony collected by
- Border Violence Monitoring Network
- Date and location recorded
- 7th February 2024, Thessaloniki, Northern Greece
- Detention centre related
- Detention Centre Country
- Greece
- Duration of detention
- Less than 1 month
- Nationality
- Unspecified
- Gender
- Male
- LGBTQI
- No answer
- Type of arrest
- Individual
- Why was the respondent detained?
- Undocumented
- Detained before?
- Yes, in a police station
- Was the respondent informed of the duration of detention?
- No
- Did the respondent experience any violence?
- No
- Type of violence experienced
- Not Applicable
- Was the respondent forced to sign documents?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent have access to translation?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent have access to medical aid?
- Yes
- Did the respondent have access to NGOs?
- No
- Did the respondent have access to legal support?
- Private lawyer
- Did the respondent apply for asylum?
- Yes
- Appealed?
- Unknown
- Number detained in cell
- 3
- Number detainees sharing WC
- Unknown
- Hygiene rating
- Low quality
- Type of cell
- Room, shared
- Had access to phone?
- Yes, own
- Had access to WiFi?
- No
- Ventilation
- A/C
- Participated in hunger strike / protest?
- No
- Had conflicts with other detainees?
- Witnessed
- Meal quality
- Satisfactory
- Meal quantity
- 2 per day, in PRDC
- Had access to outdoor space?
- More than 2h per day
- Had access to educational resources?
- None
- Had access to religious space?
- None
- Had access to electricity?
- Unlimited
- Had access to bed?
- Yes
- Had access to laundry?
- Unknown
- Had access to toilet articles?
- Provided, limited
- Had access to mattress?
- Individual
- Narrative
The respondent, who did not want to share his age and nationality, was apprehended in Ioannina, subsequently held in a police station in Ioannina for 45 days, and then transferred to Xanthi Pre-Removal Detention Centre (PRDC) for a period of 2.5 weeks. The respondent did not report any issues regarding his detention in the police station and reported that he had access to a lawyer, healthcare and cleaning materials during his stay there. At Xanthi PRDC, the respondent reportedly had limited access to hot water which was available three times per week, on Sunday, Tuesday and Thursday, for one hour between 16:30 and 17:30. He additionally described the cleanliness of the PRDC as substandard and explained that detainees are provided with minimal personal hygiene items which did not meet their basic needs. The respondent reported that there was a market at the PRDC where detainees could buy basic items, however the prices were very high. Furthermore, the respondent explained that the mattresses provided to detainees at Xanthi were dirty and there were cockroaches in the living spaces. The respondent explained that he attempted to communicate these issues to the officers working at the PRDC, however he was reportedly ignored and no action was taken to remedy these problems.