041455
Testimony- Testimony collected by
- Border Violence Monitoring Network
- Date and location recorded
- 12th June 2024, Thessaloniki, Northern Greece
- Detention centre related
- Detention Centre Country
- Greece 2
- Duration of detention
- 6 - 12 months
- Nationality
- Egypt
- Age
- 22
- Gender
- Male
- LGBTQI
- No answer
- Type of arrest
- Mass/sweep
- Why was the respondent detained?
- Illegal entry
- Detained before?
- Unknown
- Was the respondent informed of the duration of detention?
- No
- Did the respondent experience any violence?
- Witnessed
- Type of violence experienced
- Food deprivation
- Medical neglect
- Physical violence
- Was the respondent forced to sign documents?
- Yes, in Greek
- 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?
- Yes
- Did the respondent have access to legal support?
- Limited, NGO
- Did the respondent apply for asylum?
- Yes
- Appealed?
- Yes
- Number detainees sharing WC
- Unknown
- Hygiene rating
- Very poor
- Type of cell
- Isobox/container, shared
- Had access to phone?
- Unknown
- Had access to WiFi?
- Unknown
- Ventilation
- Unknown
- Participated in hunger strike / protest?
- yes, witnessed
- Had conflicts with other detainees?
- Unknown
- Meal quality
- Low quality
- Meal quantity
- Not sufficient
- Had access to water?
- Unknown
- 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?
- Provided, limited
- Had access to mattress?
- Unknown
- Narrative
The respondent is 22-years-old and from Egypt. He presented himself at a police station in Heraklion, Crete with a group of approximately 80 others, after making an unplanned emergency stop due to a problem with the boat in which they were travelling. The respondent was detained at Amygdaleza PRDC for 53 days and subsequently at Corinth PRDC for 7 months. He applied for asylum at Amygdaleza PRDC but was rejected. He lodged an appeal while at Corinth PRDC (in February 2024), which was also rejected. The respondent reported on a lack of adequate legal support and translation at all stages of his detention and transfer, as well as a lack of information about his detention and the arbitrary decisions about the length of his detention. He stated that he was required to sign documents in a language that he didn’t understand, without a translator present and that his period of detention was extended without any reason given. At Amygdaleza PRDC, the respondent reported that the conditions were inadequate, including unhygienic living conditions: “[the rooms were] full of insects, not clean”. He also reported lack of medical care: “If you ask for a doctor, they always tell you 'tomorrow, tomorrow' but they never show up”. The respondent reported that he was transferred to Corinth PRDC from Amygdaleza PRDC, without warning, preparation or any explanation. He described the living conditions at Corinth PRDC as “disgusting” and stated that the only way to protest about the conditions and detention itself was to go on hunger strike, as there are no other effective channels to express grievances. He stated that the nutrition was inadequate and that access to medical care was restricted. He further reported that he had heard of physical violence inflicted on detainees who complained about a lack of medical care and had also witnessed physical violence by police or facility staff.