FORGOTTEN Administratively detained irregular migrants and asylum seekers ii. Findings During our visits at the Detention Centers, we interviewed detainees who have been registered as adults but claimed that they were minors. In most cases, no provision was made in advance by the police authorities for their inclusion in age determination procedures and their segregation from adult detainees. In the cases where our Organization brought up the issue, the detainees were referred to the hospital for skeletal age measurement43, which is the main method of age determination in practice. From the investigation of detainee cases, shortcomings were detected regarding the age assessment of minors followed at the First Reception Center of Orestias. More specifically, the investigation revealed that in some cases, the comprehensive procedure prescribed by Ministerial Decision 92490/4.10.2013 is not fully implemented. Specific cases of minors - During our visit to the Pre-Removal Center of Xanthi on 8/3/2016, we talked to the national of Algeria, M.W., who claimed to be a minor. The investigation of his file revealed that he was arrested on 5/2/2016 by the Border Guard Unit of Feres for the infringement of art. 83 of Law 3386/2005. During his arrest, he claimed that he was born on 1/6/2000. He was then referred to the Prosecutor of Alexandroupolis, who set orally the trial date for the 26/2/2016. On 6/2/2016 the Police Directorate of Alexandroupolis issued a decision ordering his detention «until the date of his transfer at the First Reception Center of Fylakio in order to be subjected to first reception procedures». On 10/2/2016, the Police Directorate of Alexandroupolis requested from the First Reception Center of Fylakio to receive him as an unaccompanied minor in order to be subjected to first reception procedures and he was brought to the above-mentioned service on 12/2/2016. However, at the First Reception Center he was recorded as born on 1/1/1997. We note that, at his registration form, there are the signatures of 43 «The age determination through specific medical examinations is currently contested by the international scientific community, as divergences are observed between the skeletal age depicted in the x-rays and the biological age –divergences that might increase in relation to the age and the tribe of the person», Greek Ombudsman, The issue of age assessment of unaccompanied minors, page. 4, October 4 2014, available at: www.synigoros.gr/resources/porisma_diapistosianilikotitas-asynodefton-anilikon.pdf (September 5 2016). 69

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