272986
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
- 6 - 12 months
- Nationality
- Afghanistan
- Age
- 20
- Gender
- Male
- LGBTQI
- No answer
- Type of arrest
- Individual
- Why was the respondent detained?
- Undocumented
- Detained before?
- Yes, in a police station
- Was the respondent informed of the duration of detention?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent experience any violence?
- Yes
- Type of violence experienced
- Hate speech
- Medical neglect
- Was the respondent forced to sign documents?
- Yes, in Greek
- Did the respondent have access to translation?
- No
- Did the respondent have access to medical aid?
- Yes, limited
- Did the respondent have access to NGOs?
- Unknown
- Did the respondent have access to legal support?
- Private lawyer
- Did the respondent apply for asylum?
- Yes
- Appealed?
- Yes
- Number detained in cell
- 10+
- Number detainees sharing WC
- 10+
- Hygiene rating
- Very poor
- Type of cell
- Room, shared
- Had access to phone?
- Unknown
- Had access to WiFi?
- Unknown
- Ventilation
- Dysfunctional
- Participated in hunger strike / protest?
- Unknown
- Had conflicts with other detainees?
- Unknown
- Meal quality
- Very poor
- Meal quantity
- 2 per day, in police station
- Had access to water?
- Unknown
- Had access to outdoor space?
- Yes, limited space
- Had access to educational resources?
- None
- Had access to religious space?
- Unknown
- Had access to electricity?
- Unknown
- Had access to bed?
- Unknown
- Had access to laundry?
- Unknown
- Had access to toilet articles?
- None
- Had access to mattress?
- Unknown
- Narrative
The respondent is 20 years old and is from Afghanistan. He was arrested in Patras while he was trying to travel to Italy. He was first taken to a police station for 10 days and was then transferred to Corinth PRDC, where he stayed for more than 6 months. He lived in a cell with around 12 people. They had access to a small outdoor space. Not all rooms had air-conditioning or heating. When he asked for an extra blanket during the winter he was ignored. For as long as he stayed in the centre, there was no functioning shower. They had to wash themselves using water bottles, and they did not have access to any hygiene items or clean clothes. The food was reportedly enough but was very basic and of poor quality. He applied for asylum and got rejected in the first instance but was trying to appeal. He paid a private lawyer to help him with his case but she disappeared. There was no interpreter in the centre. They were only taken to the doctor for emergencies, but otherwise their calls for healthcare were reportedly ignored. For example, the respondent asked to be treated for a knee injury and some mental health issues but he never saw a doctor. Apart from some insults, he has not experienced or witnessed any physical violence by the detention authorities. At the end of the interview, the respondent complained that he could not sleep because of his stress and not knowing what would happen to him. All the papers he had to sign while in detention were in Greek.