878366
Testimony- Testimony collected by
- Border Violence Monitoring Network
- Date and location recorded
- 1st April 2023, Thessaloniki, Northern Greece
- Detention centre related
- Detention Centre Country
- Greece 2
- Duration of detention
- 2 - 4 months
- Nationality
- Iran
- Age
- 46
- Gender
- Female
- LGBTQI
- No answer
- Type of arrest
- Individual
- Why was the respondent detained?
- Unknown to respondent
- 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
- Isolation
- 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?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent have access to NGOs?
- Yes, upon visit
- Did the respondent have access to legal support?
- Private lawyer
- Did the respondent apply for asylum?
- Yes
- Appealed?
- Not applicable
- Number detained in cell
- Unknown
- Number detainees sharing WC
- Unknown
- Hygiene rating
- Unknown
- Type of cell
- Unknown
- Had access to phone?
- No
- Had access to WiFi?
- No
- Ventilation
- Window
- Participated in hunger strike / protest?
- Unknown
- Had conflicts with other detainees?
- Unknown
- Meal quality
- Low quality
- Meal quantity
- Unknown
- Had access to water?
- Yes
- 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?
- Unknown
- Had access to toilet articles?
- Unknown
- Had access to mattress?
- Unknown
- Narrative
The respondent is a 46 year old woman and is from Iran. She was apprehended in Athens International Airport while attempting to board a plane to Germany. After spending one night in a detention area within the airport, she was transferred to a police station for three days and then moved to Petrou Ralli Pre-Removal Detention Centre (PRDC) for two months and ten days. The respondent was initially held for one hour in a room within the airport where the authorities interrogated her. Reportedly, all communications were in Greek and no translator was provided. The respondent reported that, during this time, an officer confiscated her phone, forced her to unlock it, and then searched through her photos and files. After one hour the respondent was transferred to a second site, which was described as a detention area within the airport grounds. She was reportedly kept there alone for 24 hours. “I was very scared and I was knocking on the door and screaming. They didn't even bring me a bottle of water. They completely forgot about me.” The respondent was then transferred to a police station located a 30 minutes drive from the airport for three days where her fingerprints were taken, she was searched, and her phone was confiscated. She was held in a cell with three other women and an infant of six months. “I was very confused and I didn’t know what was the reason they were putting me in a cell.” During the night, the respondent was provided with drinking water but no food. In the facility, she was reportedly given water, poor quality food, and had access to a toilet. Furthermore, she had access to an open area where she could smoke. On the third day she was brought to court, where she was not provided with a lawyer and there was no Farsi interpreter present. The respondent was then relocated to Petrou Ralli PRDC where she stayed for two months and ten days. Upon her arrival, she was reportedly searched and her belongings were confiscated: she was permitted to keep one or two pieces of clothing and 20-30 euros cash. “I got checked by a female police officer. She checked all my suitcase and she also checked my body.” The respondent recalled 40 to 50 other women from different countries being present at the detention site. “The behaviour of the female police officers was very very bad. They were very disrespectful and they behaved very badly with us. Those two months and ten days that I spent in Petrou Ralli was the hardest time of my life. I don't want anyone, especially women, to go through that situation ever again.” The respondent explained that she managed to hire a lawyer but she recalled that he was not helpful. The respondent recalled receiving multiple letters for voluntary deportation in a language she did not understand, but was warned by other women at Petrou Ralli not to sign them or she would be sent back to Iran or to Turkey. Reportedly, there were a couple of NGOs identified by the respondent as Arsis and Greek Council for Refugees present at the detention site that provided some legal support and helped the respondent with her asylum case.