May 2019 | Reception crisis in Northern Greece: three years of emergency solutions Jamal S.* (49)xxxv from Syria, Diavata camp Greek legislation on reception and identification procedures regarding new arrivals includes victims of torture as one of the categories of vulnerable groups (Article 14(8) of Law 4375/2016). In May 2018, a new provision was adopted (Article 23 of Law 4540/2018) stipulating that persons subjected to torture, rape or other serious acts of violence, have to be certified by medical certificates issued by a public hospital or by an adequately trained doctor of a public sector health care service provider and should receive the needed therapy or care.xxxvi Human rights actors in the field have expressed their concerns on whether the Greek state was ready to take over the certification procedure at once, and without any assistance. This transition came at a time where the public health system was already severely burdened by austerity cuts and resulting staff shortages. In addition, there is a limited number of interpreters in public hospitals as well as specialized personnel that could conduct such certification. At the same time, the merely medical approach to the certification of a torture victim is not compatible with the provisions of the Istanbul Protocol that states that a multidisciplinary approach is required and that the examining team should be including a social worker, a doctor, a psychologist and a lawyer.xxxvii Additionally, hospital staff is not yet adequately trained to work in a trauma-sensitive manner, with an intercultural approach, and to recognize victims of torture and other forms of violence. There are no comprehensive official statisticsxxxviii available on victims of torture (VoT) in Greece. Services for the certification and rehabilitation of VoT are provided by few NGOs limited in Athensxxxix and only since November 2018 also in Thessalonikixl. There are also no specialized shelters. RSA interviewed several victims of torture who had applied for asylum or are recognized refugees. They spoke evocatively on how their mental health had been affected even further due to the conditions they experienced in the camps. For those still awaiting their asylum interview, the lack of documentation of their vulnerability is likely to create disadvantages for their legal procedure. More than that, the lack of proof of their vulnerability obscures access to adequate housing in the flats of ESTIA programme (aimed to support vulnerable persons). Finally, remaining for longer periods in remote camps in the mainland means that they find it very difficult to reach organizations providing specialized assistance for their medical and psychological care. https://rsaegean.org/en/reception-crisis-in-northern-greece-three-years-of-emergency-solutions 10