499034
Testimony- Testimony collected by
- Border Violence Monitoring Network
- Date and location recorded
- 2022, Thessaloniki, Northern Greece
- Detention centre related
- Detention Centre Country
- Greece
- Duration of detention
- 4 - 6 months
- Nationality
- Afghanistan
- Age
- 24
- Gender
- Male
- LGBTQI
- No answer
- Type of arrest
- Unknown
- Why was the respondent detained?
- Police note expired
- 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
- Physical violence
- Tazer/electroshock
- Was the respondent forced to sign documents?
- Yes, in Greek
- Did the respondent have access to translation?
- No
- Did the respondent have access to medical aid?
- No
- Did the respondent have access to NGOs?
- Yes, remote
- Did the respondent have access to legal support?
- Yes, NGO
- Did the respondent apply for asylum?
- No, but expressed
- Appealed?
- No
- Number detained in cell
- 10+
- Number detainees sharing WC
- Unknown
- Hygiene rating
- Very poor
- Type of cell
- Isobox/container, shared
- Had access to phone?
- Yes, without camera
- Had access to WiFi?
- Unknown
- Ventilation
- Unknown
- Participated in hunger strike / protest?
- Unknown
- Had conflicts with other detainees?
- Unknown
- Meal quality
- Low quality
- Meal quantity
- 1 per day, in PRDC
- Had access to water?
- Unknown
- Had access to outdoor space?
- Unknown
- 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?
- Manual
- Had access to toilet articles?
- None
- Had access to mattress?
- Unknown
- Narrative
The respondent is from Afghanistan and is 24 years old. He was arrested in a town in the Peloponnese and after 17 days in a police station, he was brought to Corinth PRDC. He has not had access to legal aid or an interpreter during his stay. Due to this he has not been able to ask for asylum or have information about his case. He did not have access to hygiene items, which can only be bought from an outside supplier but he does not have enough money. Upon arrival they are given a towel but no soap or other hygiene items. They were detained in container rooms which are overcrowded. To do their laundry they put a large plastic bag on the floor and do it by hand. When they ask for something or need to see a doctor, detention officers take them to a dark room with no natural light and torture them by administering electric shocks for 15 or 20 minutes. They were threatened not to tell anybody and this has taken a huge toll on their mental health. He claims that this has happened to many of his co-detainees. Some have even experienced this process so many times that it has seriously affected their mental health. Healthcare is inaccessible to them.