Overview of main changes since the previous report update The report was previously updated in May 2022. International Protection ❖ Key asylum statistics: The Asylum Service received 37,362 asylum applications in 2022 (compared to 28,320 in 2021), mainly from applicants from Afghanistan (5,624 applications), followed by applicants from Syria (5,050 applications), Pakistan (4,572 applications), Palestine (2,907 applications) and Iraq (2,671 applications). The recognition rate on the merits at first instance was 57.4% (compared to 60% in 2021). However, a significant number of applicants were not provided with access to an in merits examination and their applications were examined under the safe third country concept, following the issuance of the Joint Ministerial Decision designating Türkiye as a safe third country for applicants from Syria, Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, Bangladesh. The backlog of pending applications was of 22,316 at the end of 2022 (compared to 31,787 at the end of 2021). Asylum procedure ❖ Number of arrivals: In 2022, a total of 18,780 refugees and migrants arrived in Greece. This marks an increase of 105.09% compared to 9,157 in 2021. 12,758 persons arrived in Greece by sea in 2022 compared to 4,331 in 2021 and 6,022 persons arrived through the Greek-Turkish land border of Evros in 2022, compared to a total of 4,826 in 2021. The majority originated from Palestine (21.7%), Afghanistan (17.2%) and Somalia (14.1%). Nearly half of this population were women (17.8%) and children (28.3%), while 54% were adult men. The registered number of entries in 2022 may however under-represent the number of people actually attempting to access Greek territory, given the number of alleged pushbacks, which continued to be systematically reported during the year. ❖ Push-back practices: An increasing number of allegations of pushbacks continued to be reported in 2022 and have been largely criticised inter alia by UN, Council of Europe and European Union monitoring bodies. In a report issued in April 2022, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants stated that ‘[i]n Greece, pushbacks at land and sea borders have become de facto general policy’. The ECtHR granted Interim Measures in all 24 cases supported by GCR, since March 2022 and ordered the Greek authorities not to remove the applicants from the territory and to provide them with food, water and proper medical care. In July 2022, the ECtHR delivered its judgment in the case of Safi and others v. Greece (Farmakonisi case), supported inter alia by GCR. The case referred to a shipwreck, resulting in the death of 11 people, which occurred during an alleged pushback at sea incident. The Court found violations of articles 2 and 3 ECHR. The newly established mechanism for compliance with fundamental rights in reception and asylum procedures (Fundamental Rights Officer and Special Commission on Fundamental Rights Monitoring at the Ministry of Migration and Asylum) has been widely criticised, including by the Greek Ombudsman and the NCHR, as not in line with the independence and effectiveness requirements. Human rights organisations and lawyers supporting pushback victims face defamation, intimidation and risk of criminalisation. As highlighted by the UN Special Rapporteur ‘human rights defenders promoting and protecting the rights of migrants, asylum-seekers and refugees, including human rights lawyers, humanitarian workers, volunteers and journalists, have been subjected to smear campaigns, a changing regulatory environment, threats and attacks and the misuse of criminal law against them to a shocking degree’’. ❖ Access to the asylum procedure: Access to asylum on the mainland remains highly problematic. Since September 2022, persons who want to submit an asylum application on the mainland should initially book an appointment through an online platform and then present 19