26 6. Detention and detention centres ■ People in need of international protection and irregular migrants facing deportation can be held at detention centres. The terms generally used by the Greek authorities to describe these prisons are »special areas for hosting foreigners« or »special facilities for aliens«.71 The prefecture of Evros is divided into the two police headquarters of Alexandroupolis in the South and Orestidada in the North. The only »special detention facility« for foreigners and the newest detention facility is located in Kyprinos/ Fylakio and is run under the auspices of Orestiada Police Directorate. The detention infrastructure in the South of Evros mainly comprises three borderguard stations, which are located in Tychero, Feres and Soufli. There are also a couple of first screening facilities – some of which are smaller borderguard stations (i.e. Neo Chimonio) and others military buildings used as such (i.e. Poros), where detainees stay maximum for some days then being transferred to the other detention centres. In total, the four detention centres of Evros have a capacity of 479. Yet, in reality there were usually an average of 1.000 persons detained per day during the period of our research. Although borderguard and police station cells have been designed for short periods of detention (a few hours), the lack of available space in immigration detention centres entails the detention of irregular migrants and asylum-seekers in the former for prolonged periods and under very poor conditions. Since summer 2011, there has been a notable decrease in the number of detainees inside the four detention facilities of Evros, but at the same time an increase in the number of those temporarily detained outside. The two directorates of Alexandorupolis and Orestiada shortened the detention period for those whose deportation is not feasible. The early release of some newcomers and the elevated number of transfers from the three borderguard stations of Alexandroupolis to other parts of Greece have apparently decreased the number of detainees held in Evros detention 71 Article 81(1) of Law 3386/2005. 73 Published in the English edition of Kathimerini newspaper, May 31, 2011. http://www.ekathimerini.com/4dcgi/_w_articles_wsite1_14_ 31/05/2011_393040 centres, but have also created new problems, which shall be described in more detail further below. Still, conditions in detention remain problematic. On May 19, the government announced to open 14 new detention centres. Three of them are to be constructed in Thrace: Close to the detention centre of Fylakio, in Orestiada, and in the former military camp of Karoti in Didimoticho. Local authorities in Evros strongly oppose these plans. Discussions between the former Minister of Citizen Protection, Mr. Papoutsis, and local politicians failed to yield any agreement. The mayors of the four municipalities of Evros, representatives of local businesses and resident associations had first expressed their opposition to the plans when they were announced by Minister Papoutsis in mid-May. Now that the project is progressing, the authorities scale up their protests. The regional governor of Evros, Aristidis Giannakidis, said he disapproved of the plans: »The region’s reputation will not become tainted, we will not let it be a detention area for unfortunate souls,« said he. »We have an entirely different vision for the development of our region.«73 6.1. Detention Almost all irregular migrants apprehended in the area of Evros are temporarily detained with the objective of deportation.74 A detention decision, together with a deportation order, is issued by the police directorates. The apprehended are detained with a view to expelling them either directly to their country of origin or indirectly via Turkey – based on the readmission protocol. The usual reasoning for their detention is that there is a danger of absconding. In practice, the authorities in charge don’t make any individual assessment of the detainees’ needs. Neither do the police apply any alternative, non-custodial measures. The duration of the detention can be extended to a maximum of six months, and in certain circumstances to 18 months.75 The length of the detention depends on the 72 In the late evening of October 10, 2011 there had been a lot of new arrivals. Officers told us that the number of detainees had reached 650 for the night.74 Law 3386/2005; Law. 3772/2009; Law 3907/2011. 75 Law 3772/2009