945258
Testimony- Testimony collected by
- Border Violence Monitoring Network
- Date and location recorded
- 2022, Thessaloniki, Northern Greece
- Detention centre related
- Detention Centre Country
- Greece 2
- Duration of detention
- Unknown
- Nationality
- Afghanistan
- Age
- 27
- 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?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent experience any violence?
- Yes
- Type of violence experienced
- Isolation
- Physical violence
- Was the respondent forced to sign documents?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent have access to translation?
- Yes, in a PRDC
- Did the respondent have access to medical aid?
- Yes, limited
- Did the respondent have access to NGOs?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent have access to legal support?
- No
- Did the respondent apply for asylum?
- Yes
- Appealed?
- Yes
- Number detained in cell
- 10+
- Number detainees sharing WC
- 7
- Hygiene rating
- Very poor
- Type of cell
- Unknown
- Had access to phone?
- Unknown
- Had access to WiFi?
- Unknown
- Ventilation
- None
- Participated in hunger strike / protest?
- Unknown
- Had conflicts with other detainees?
- Unknown
- Meal quality
- Low quality
- Meal quantity
- 1 per day, in police station
- Had access to water?
- Unknown
- Had access to outdoor space?
- More than 2h per day
- Had access to educational resources?
- Unknown
- Had access to religious space?
- Unknown
- Had access to electricity?
- Unknown
- Had access to bed?
- Unknown
- Had access to laundry?
- Unknown
- Had access to toilet articles?
- Purchased
- Had access to mattress?
- Unknown
- Narrative
The respondent is 27 years old and is from Afghanistan. He was arrested and stayed in a police station for 4 months, where they were only offered food once a day. To protest against the situation, they abstained from food for 3 days. Following this, the protesting detainees were taken to Amygdaleza PRDC for a month, after which the respondent was transferred to Corinth PRDC. In Amygdaleza, the toilets were very dirty and there was no warm water so they could not have a shower during winter. When he was taken to Corinth, he stayed in a quarantine cell for 40 days. He applied for asylum but got rejected at the second instance. He had no legal aid through this process and the interpreter was on the phone and spoke a language he could not fully understand. In Corinth, 7 people had to share a shower, the water was always cold and there was no access to free hygiene items. The food was poor and this had an effect on their health. They were allowed to go outside for 4 hours every day but there was no outdoor sport they could engage with. During the summer it’s too hot to be outside because there is no shade. According to the respondent, there were minors in the centre but the police ignored that information. There was limited access to healthcare. He further reported that those considered to cause trouble, were dragged out of their cells and taken to another room where they were tortured by the police. Reportedly, they were beaten up with their hands tied and were not seen by a doctor afterwards.