332567
Testimony- Testimony collected by
- Border Violence Monitoring Network
- Date and location recorded
- 2022, Thessaloniki, Northern Greece
- Detention centre related
- Detention Centre Country
- Greece 4
- Duration of detention
- 12 - 18 months
- Nationality
- Other
- Age
- 27
- Gender
- Male
- LGBTQI
- No answer
- Type of arrest
- Individual
- Why was the respondent detained?
- Asylum seeker card expired
- 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?
- No
- Did the respondent have access to medical aid?
- Yes, limited
- Did the respondent have access to NGOs?
- No
- Did the respondent have access to legal support?
- Yes, upon request
- Did the respondent apply for asylum?
- Yes
- Appealed?
- Yes
- Number detained in cell
- 10+
- Number detainees sharing WC
- 10+
- Hygiene rating
- Low quality
- Type of cell
- Room, shared
- Had access to phone?
- Yes, own
- Had access to WiFi?
- No
- Ventilation
- Dysfunctional
- Participated in hunger strike / protest?
- Unknown
- Had conflicts with other detainees?
- Physical
- Verbal
- Meal quality
- Very poor
- Meal quantity
- 1 per day, in PRDC
- Had access to water?
- Tap
- Had access to outdoor space?
- Less 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?
- Individual
- Had access to laundry?
- Manual
- Had access to toilet articles?
- Purchased
- Had access to mattress?
- Individual
- Narrative
The respondent is 27 years old from West Africa. He was detained in several facilities. When he was first arrested, he was taken to Tripoli prison for five months following a court decision. Following his release from prison he was rearrested because his papers had expired and was then transferred to Tavros (Petrou Ralli) PRDC for two months. He reported being locked inside his cell all day and having to ask detention authorities to let them go to the toilet, which sometimes they would not allow. He was then taken to Amygdaleza PRDC for another month in quarantine because he had Covid-like symptoms. He was finally taken to Corinth PRDC. Overall, he spent 15 months in detention. In Corinth, he claimed that it would take months to visit the doctor on site. Access to a psychologist is again restricted. Most of their calls to see a doctor or to ask for help were ignored by the police. He even reported a suicide of one of his co-detainees. He attributed fights between them to high depression rates among them. He shared a room and a bathroom with 12 people. Food was bad quality and some days they were only served food once. While there was air conditioning in the room, it was not functioning. The toilet was also clogged. Upon arrival they were given a towel and some hygiene items but nothing after that so they had to buy everything themselves. Access to outdoor space was restricted to a few hours per day which creates tension inside the cells. He further reported issues with legal aid and interpretation, which left him feeling very disoriented and depressed. When he tried to complain, he was simply ignored by the staff.