549133
Testimony- Testimony collected by
- Border Violence Monitoring Network
- Date and location recorded
- 2022, Thessaloniki, Northern Greece
- Detention centre related
- Detention Centre Country
- Greece 2
- Duration of detention
- 1 - 2 months
- Nationality
- Morocco
- Age
- 24
- Gender
- Male
- LGBTQI
- No answer
- Type of arrest
- Individual
- Why was the respondent detained?
- Public order grounds
- Detained before?
- Yes
- Was the respondent informed of the duration of detention?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent experience any violence?
- Yes
- Type of violence experienced
- Isolation
- Physical violence
- Was the respondent forced to sign documents?
- No
- Did the respondent have access to translation?
- No
- Did the respondent have access to medical aid?
- Yes, limited
- Did the respondent have access to NGOs?
- No
- Did the respondent have access to legal support?
- No
- Did the respondent apply for asylum?
- Yes
- Appealed?
- No
- Number detained in cell
- 8
- Number detainees sharing WC
- 8
- Hygiene rating
- Unknown
- Type of cell
- Unknown
- 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?
- No
- Meal quality
- Satisfactory
- Meal quantity
- 2 per day, in PRDC
- Had access to water?
- Unknown
- Had access to outdoor space?
- More than 2h per day
- Had access to educational resources?
- None
- 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 24 years old and comes from Morocco. He first spent six months in the Transfers Department of Thessaloniki (Metagogon). When he was released, he reported that he was falsely accused of a crime, for which he went to court. Prior to that, he was detained in another police station in the area for six months. Even though he was acquitted in court, he was rearrested and taken to yet another police station for five months. From there he was detained in another police station for two months, followed by a period of time in Paranesti PRDC. He applied for asylum while in detention without access to legal aid or an interpreter. Food was offered twice a day and the quality depended on the company that was responsible for delivering it every time. He claimed that access to healthcare was only in emergency cases. In cases of self-harm or with withdrawal symptoms, detainees were not properly looked after. Instead, he reported two possible responses; either physical violence by the police to stop the person from hurting themselves or transfer to a hospital. Physical violence reportedly occurred in a dark room, where people are handcuffed to the wall and are beaten up or forced to stay with their hands tied up high for a very long time. While he was in the first police station in Thessaloniki, he was experiencing withdrawal symptoms and was agitated so he often experienced physical violence from the police.