them about the commander, but they didn’t ask me many details about the commander. There was an interpreter and the interview lasted 15 minutes. Seventeen-year-old Musa M. was interviewed by police through an interpreter: They asked me some questions and made fingerprints. There was an Iranian interpreter. I was asked what my problem was in Afghanistan, where I had gone to and where I had entered Greece. After that they gave me the red card. It lasted 15 minutes.… The police did not ask me about my story so I didn’t tell them. They asked me which province I was from but not which district.132 Musa M. told Human Rights Watch that he fled from Afghanistan with his family at the age of eight due to the ruthless rule of a local commander that led to the displacement of hundreds of families. Police did not ask him what district (Daikundi) his family was from, and the boy himself was unaware that the district had been turned into a province since he left. Hence, Greek authorities registered him as a resident of the wrong province. The fact that they failed to record such important basic information makes a careful verification of the boy’s claim on the basis of country-of-origin information very difficult.133 Two children told Human Rights Watch that they were interviewed by an interpreter only, with no police officer present. Greek legislation prescribes the presence of at least one police officer and an interpreter during the asylum interview.134 The interpreter in both cases was described as an Iranian woman. Fahim F., a 17-year-old from Afghanistan, described his interview: 132 Human Rights Watch interview with Musa M., Athens, May 28, 2008. 133 Greek national legislation mandates authorities to collect precise and up-to-date information as to the situation prevailing in an applicant’s country of origin. Such information shall be made available to authorities receiving and examining asylum applications; and “Decisions on asylum applications shall be taken individually, after an appropriate, objective and impartial examination. Presidential Decree 90/2008, art. 6.2 [unofficial translation]. 134 Presidential Decree 61/1999, art.2.3; Presidential Decree 90/2008, art. 10.1. 47 Human Rights Watch December 2008