Administrative Detention on Lesvos: “Low Profile Detention Scheme” In October 2016, a few months after the EU-Turkey Statement of 18 March 2016, the Greek Police launched a pilot detention project on Lesvos, according to which, single male thirdcountry nationals from “low profile” countries, who enter Lesvos irregularly, are detained upon arrival, in the Pre-Removal Detention Center (hereinafter “PRDC”) of Lesvos, located inside Moria camp. The maximum detention period under this project is, in principle, three months.6 The program was temporarily suspended just before summer 2017,7 re-launched in August 2017, and renamed the “low profile detention scheme.” For the purposes of this project, a “low profile” country is any country whose nationals have an international protection recognition rate across the EU that is lower than 25%, as per the latest available EUROSTAT data. However, between October 2017 and May 2018, single men from Syria, Iraq and Eritrea - men from countries of origin with a recognition rate above 25% - were also detained in the Lesvos PRDC under the “low profile detention scheme.” This nationalitybased segregation of new arrivals for the purposes of detention to ensure the swift readmission of third-country nationals seen as coming from “safe” countries, has no basis in Greek law. The procedure Upon arrival to the island of Lesvos, and depending on the available space in the Lesvos PRDC, migrants who are eligible for detention under the “low profile detention scheme” are transferred by the Police authorities to the Reception and Identification Center of Moria (hereinafter “RIC”), in order to be registered, fingerprinted, and medically screened; to undergo a vulnerability assessment; as well as express, if they so desire, their will to apply for international protection, as provided for in Art. 9(1) of the L. 4375/2016. Subsequently, their declaration of “will to apply for international protection” is assigned a unique reference number, so that they can be referred to the Regional Asylum Office of Lesvos (hereinafter “Lesvos RAO”), in order to register their application for international protection. 6 See also Art. 46(4)(c) of L. 4375/2016. Transitioning to a Government-run refugee and migrant response in Greece. Joint Agency Briefing Paper, December 2017, pp. 5-6, https://reliefweb.int/sites/reliefweb.int/files/resources/greece_roadmap_oxfam_final.pdf; Asylum Information Database, National Country Report: Greece. European Council on Refugees and Exiles, December 2017, p. 146, https://www.asylumineurope.org/reports/country/greece; Fundamental Rights and the EU Hotspot approach. DRC, October 2017, p. 21, https://drc.ngo/media/4051855/fundamental-rights_web.pdf; Greece: Lives on Hold Update on Situation of Refugees and Migrants on the Greek islands. Amnesty International, July 2017, p. 6, https://www.amnesty.org/download/Documents/EUR2567452017ENGLISH.PDF 7 Welcome the stranger. Protect the refugee. | 8 8