887003
Testimony- Testimony collected by
- Border Violence Monitoring Network
- Date and location recorded
- 24th March 2023, Thessaloniki, Northern Greece
- Detention centre related
- Detention Centre Country
- Greece
- Duration of detention
- 4 - 6 months
- Nationality
- Palestine
- Age
- 25
- Gender
- Male
- LGBTQI
- No answer
- Type of arrest
- Mass/sweep
- Why was the respondent detained?
- Unknown
- Detained before?
- Unknown
- Was the respondent informed of the duration of detention?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent experience any violence?
- Yes
- Type of violence experienced
- Physical violence
- Strip search
- Threats and intimidation
- Verbal insult
- Was the respondent forced to sign documents?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent have access to translation?
- No
- 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?
- No
- Did the respondent apply for asylum?
- No
- Appealed?
- Not applicable
- Number detained in cell
- 8
- Number detainees sharing WC
- 8
- Hygiene rating
- Low quality
- Type of cell
- Isobox/container, shared
- Had access to phone?
- No
- Had access to WiFi?
- No
- Ventilation
- Unknown
- Participated in hunger strike / protest?
- Unknown
- Had conflicts with other detainees?
- Unknown
- Meal quality
- Very poor
- Meal quantity
- 2 per day, CCAC
- Had access to water?
- Tap
- Had access to outdoor space?
- Unknown
- Had access to educational resources?
- None
- Had access to religious space?
- Unknown
- Had access to electricity?
- Unknown
- Had access to bed?
- None
- Had access to laundry?
- Unknown
- Had access to toilet articles?
- Unknown
- Had access to mattress?
- Unknown
- Narrative
The respondent is 25 years old and is from Palestine. He was apprehended with 15-17 other men shortly after arriving on Samos island and detained in the CCAC for two and a half months. On arrival at the CCAC, he was reportedly brought to a room, strip searched and taunted by officers. “I was told to take my clothes off like I was born. [...] When I was completely naked they [the officers] were laughing at me saying “come on come on, where are your clothes?” [...] I was just trying to do whatever they told me to do but they just wanted to upset me and provoke me.” His phone was confiscated by an officer who asked for his passcode, and the phone was not returned for one week. The respondent was detained in the quarantine zone of the CCAC for approximately nine days, where he was deprived access to doctors, lawyers and non-governmental organisations: “They [the police] have full total authority over this place [...] nobody can intervene or help or do anything, even doctors.” The containers in the quarantine zone were overcrowded with insufficient beds. One shower and toilet were shared between eight people. Food provided was insufficient and of poor quality and the water was reportedly not drinkable. During his detention in the quarantine zone, the respondent reported that he had no access to legal support or translators. Furthermore, he reportedly experienced multiple incidents of violence by officers working there. “It was very strict and violent from the police officers because when they come, we all go to the wall. If we don't, they will beat us. If we just look a police officer in the face they will take you separately from the group and beat you and tell the next police officers to beat you.” Violence reportedly happened outside the view of security cameras and only when detainees did not have their mobile phones with them. The respondent received threats from officers not to report violence “This police officer was telling us ‘we know it's illegal to beat you up but we beat you up and we will keep beating you up and if you ever go tell a lawyer or tell an organisation that we are doing this to you, we will slow down your procedure.’” He was subsequently transferred to the main section of the CCAC, where he had access to information on the asylum procedure. There was a doctor in the CCAC but they reportedly only supplied painkillers to detainees.