830525
Testimony- Testimony collected by
- Border Violence Monitoring Network
- Date and location recorded
- 2022, Thessaloniki, Northern Greece
- Detention centre related
- Detention Centre Country
- Greece
- Duration of detention
- 4 - 6 months
- Nationality
- Afghanistan
- Age
- 28
- Gender
- Male
- LGBTQI
- No answer
- Type of arrest
- Mass/sweep
- Why was the respondent detained?
- Asylum seeker card expired
- Detained before?
- Yes, in a police station
- Was the respondent informed of the duration of detention?
- No
- Did the respondent experience any violence?
- Yes
- Type of violence experienced
- Isolation
- Physical violence
- Was the respondent forced to sign documents?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent have access to translation?
- Yes
- Did the respondent have access to medical aid?
- No
- Did the respondent have access to NGOs?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent have access to legal support?
- No
- Did the respondent apply for asylum?
- Yes
- Appealed?
- No
- Number detained in cell
- 10+
- Number detainees sharing WC
- 10+
- Hygiene rating
- Unknown
- Type of cell
- Isobox/container, shared
- Had access to phone?
- Unknown
- Had access to WiFi?
- Unknown
- Ventilation
- Unknown
- Participated in hunger strike / protest?
- Unknown
- Had conflicts with other detainees?
- Physical
- Meal quality
- Unknown
- 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?
- Individual
- Had access to laundry?
- Unknown
- Had access to toilet articles?
- Provided, limited
- Had access to mattress?
- Individual
- Narrative
The respondent is 28 years old and is from Afghanistan. He had applied for asylum when he first arrived on Lesvos but he got rejected at the second instance. He wanted to apply for asylum again inside detention but the asylum service told him that he had to pay 100 Euros as a fine for reapplying but since he didn’t have the money he couldn’t apply again. He had no other information about his case and how long he would remain in detention for. Upon arrival in Corinth PRDC he was only given a blanket, a towel and toothbrush and toothpaste. He lived in a container room with 11 men, who did not receive enough food, there was no running water because the shower doesn’t work and they also did not have access to hygiene items. He claims that 48 people have to share one toilet and one shower. Their calls to see a doctor were always ignored. If they had Covid-like symptoms they were segregated. There were many fights between those detained because of the conditions and long periods of detention. To stop these fights, detention authorities reportedly physically abused those involved.