lence amid tensions and overcrowding at reception facilities on Greek islands [briefing note], 9 February 2018, http://www.unhcr.org/news/briefing/2018/2/5a7d67c4b/refugee-women-children-faceheightened-risk-sexual-violence-amid-tensions.html, last accessed 30 March 2018.
106
Specifically, 667 on the 10th, 668 on the 11th, and 664 on the 12th of December 2018, as per the
data uploaded by the Hellenic Ministry of Digital Policy, Telecommunications and Information at
http://mindigital.gr/index.php/%CF%80%CF%81%CE%BF%CF%83%CF%86%CF%85%CE%B3%CE%B9%CE%BA%CF%8C-%CE%
B6%CE%AE%CF%84%CE%B7%CE%BC%CE%B1-refugee-crisis/1860-apotyposi-tis-ethnikis-eikonas-katastasis-gia-to-prosfygiko-metanasteftiko-zitima-tis-9-1-2018.
107
Brief meeting with representative of Frontex, in Kos, held on 10 January 2018.
108
B., Wesel, ‘In Greece, protests against EU refugee hot spot on Kos’, Deutsche Welle, 15 February
2016, <http://www.dw.com/en/about-dw/profile/s-30688>, last accessed 30 March 2018.
109
As per the local Kos news, for instance, in September 2016 the RIC housed more than 1,500 applicants. Kosnews, ‘1531 μετανάστες στο HOT SPOT της Κω!!! 72 αφίξεις το πρωί’ [1531
migrants at the HOT SPOT in Kos!!! 72 arrivals in the morning], Kosnews, 5 September 2016,
<https://www.kosnews24.gr/politika/item/230874-1531-metanastes-sto-hot-spot-tis-ko-72-afikseisto-proi>, last accessed 28 March 2018.
110
Interview with member of the local (Kos) solidarity group, Solidarity Kos, held on 12 January 2018.
111
Qutoed from GCR internal monthly report on the situation in Kos in November 2016.
112
Brief meeting with representative of IOM, in Kos, on 10 January 2018.
113
GCR internal report on the situation in Kos of January 2017.
Interview with staff of the RAO, in Kos, on 12 January 2018.
115
GCR internal report on the situation in Kos of March 2017.
116
Information acquired through interview with UNHCR staff at Kos Field Office, on 11 January 2018.
117
As per observations made by GCR’s lawyer at the time (March 2017), adults would frequently enter
the UAM section, by jumping over the fence separating the latter’s section from the rest of the RIC.
118
Director of RIC at Pyli, Kos. Interview held on 10 January 2018.
119
Interviews with UNHCR staff at Kos Field Office, on January 11, 2018 and representatives of Arsis,
in Kos, on 11 January 2018.
120
Employee of Kos RAO. Interview held on 12 January 2018.
121
Interview with Director of RIC at Fylakio, Evros, on 21 December 2017.
122
METADRASI is the NGO inter alia responsible for the supervision of unaccompanied minors in the
RIC at Fylakio, Evros. Interview conducted on 21 December 2017.
123
METAdrasi staff at the Fylakio RIC, in Evros. Interview held on 21 December 2017.
114
Effects of Reception
The preceding section closed with one example of the detrimental effects that living
(amongst others) conditions have on asylum seekers’ –in the specific case, children’s–
(mental) health. It goes without saying that it is neither the sole, nor the gravest. This
final section will provide an overview of some of the direct and indirect effects which
the policy of entrapping asylum seekers at the borders has created.
Alone and Unattended
In Lesvos and Kos, two islands exhibiting quite dissimilar paths in terms of the reception of asylum seekers (“stagnation” and relative improvement, respectively), effects
have been highly similar to those of Evros, albeit with a distinct touch of added severity. Thus in both islands, when interviewees were asked about the mental state of the
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