In practice, people with rejected asylum applications are held for arbitrary periods of time. According to our findings, these periods were in fact dependent on the PRDC and the number of people arrested, versus detention facility capacities, thus leading to the length of detention periods being a matter of whether or not there is space at a given time, or if individuals could afford expensive lawyer fees to object their detention orders. Corinth and Paranesti held detainees for the longest periods, with averages of six to seven months, yet with some detained for beyond 18 months. Whilst it is likely that people who were detained for beyond 18 months were detained as asylum seekers and subsequently in view of removal, which restarts the maximum time limit, the lack of enforced deportations taking place from PRDCs in Greece raises doubts as to the legal justification provided for these lengths of time and whether the proceedings are conducted with due diligence. These doubts are applicable to the significant number of people subject to extended periods of detention in Greece without prospects of removal. The majority of people we spoke to across all PRDCs were not informed about the length of time they would be held for, and if they asked, were answered with the legal maximum of 18 months. Our research additionally pointed to the use of re-detention, whereby people reported being trapped in a cycle of repeated detention and release. Upon being released, several individuals reported being given a police note, stating that the person has to leave the country voluntarily after 25 days. However, this frequently resulted in their subsequent apprehension and detention for not complying with their legal obligation to voluntarily leave the country. Some were detained for up to 33 months across four separate time periods in PRDCs across Greece. According to the EU immigration commentary, the 18 month maximum time frame is absolute and if a third country national has been detained in view of removal for a combined total of 18 months, they cannot be detained in view of removal again on the grounds of not having valid documentation.[188] In addition, the limited number of formal readmissions, and random patterns of detention and release, evidences the dysfunctionality of the return procedure indicating insufficient justification for detention, which lies in clear violation of both EU and Greek law. As such, the deprivation of liberty for many of our respondents in these circumstances does not appear to be lawfully justified, and instead is used as a mechanism of intimidation and deterrence, breaching fundamental rights of people on the move according to the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union,[189] the ECHR[190] and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.[191] I was in Xanthi four times, for eighteen months, then for six months, then again for six months, and again for three months. Manzoor, Xanthi Yeah for now what I heard is that the longest you can stay here is 18 months. The longest people have stayed here is 18 months. The minute you get to 18 months, the day you get to 18 months you get released to go out….But if you seek for appeal, they will just tell you ok the detention centre the authorities here will just sign for you they will just forward it for you. When you are there within one month they will tell you your case is rejected. So after staying for 18 months, they’ll give you one month to leave the country, two months, sometimes one week, depending. It depends. Some people get 2 months to 3 months, some people get 1 week and 2 weeks to leave the country. So if you go out again and the police catch you again they have to take you back to the detention centre, which is another problem we are facing. Emmanuel, Corinth 47