646942
Testimony- Testimony collected by
- Border Violence Monitoring Network
- Date and location recorded
- 2022, Thessaloniki, Northern Greece
- Detention centre related
- Detention Centre Country
- Greece 3
- Duration of detention
- 6 - 12 months
- Nationality
- Tunisia
- Age
- 26
- Gender
- Male
- LGBTQI
- No answer
- Type of arrest
- Individual
- Why was the respondent detained?
- Detained after rejected asylum procedure
- Detained before?
- Yes, in a police station
- Was the respondent informed of the duration of detention?
- No
- Did the respondent experience any violence?
- Yes
- Type of violence experienced
- Hate speech
- Was the respondent forced to sign documents?
- Yes, in Greek
- Did the respondent have access to translation?
- Yes, in a PRDC
- Did the respondent have access to medical aid?
- No
- 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?
- No
- Number detained in cell
- 10+
- Number detainees sharing WC
- 10+
- Hygiene rating
- Very poor
- Type of cell
- Isobox/container, shared
- Had access to phone?
- Yes, own
- Had access to WiFi?
- No
- Ventilation
- Unknown
- Participated in hunger strike / protest?
- No
- Had conflicts with other detainees?
- No
- Meal quality
- Very poor
- Meal quantity
- 2 per day, in police station
- Had access to water?
- Tap
- Had access to outdoor space?
- More than 2h per day
- Had access to educational resources?
- None
- Had access to religious space?
- Unknown
- Had access to electricity?
- Unlimited
- Had access to bed?
- Individual
- Had access to laundry?
- Unknown
- Had access to toilet articles?
- Unknown
- Had access to mattress?
- Individual
- Narrative
The respondent is a 26 year old Tunisian man. He was arrested at the Greek-Turkish land border for irregular border crossing. He was first detained in Fylakio PRDC and Orestiada police station. In Fylakio RIC he applied for asylum but did not understand the process because he did not have a lawyer and all of the documents provided to him were in Greek. In addition, the interpreter did not correctly interpret what he was saying. He was detained in a cell with another 17 people and had access to outdoor space. He spent 14 days of quarantine in the cell and then was allowed to go outside. He describes the toilet as too dirty for anyone to use as it was rarely cleaned. Food was delivered once a day. He was verbally insulted at the centre. When his asylum was rejected he was taken to Paranesti PRDC, where he remained for a month. He was detained with 12 people in a container room. Similar to other testimonies, the food was described as poor. During his stay he had no access to healthcare despite his repeated attempts. He paid a lawyer 550 Euros in order to be released.