Detention Landscapes

Immigration detention in Greece has been a central component of national border control strategies, particularly since the early 1990s. Aimed at deterring irregular migration and securing Greece’s borders, these practices have led to a complex landscape marked by systemic human rights violations and ongoing scrutiny from various watchdog organisations.

Greece's immigration detention facilities have garnered widespread condemnation for their severe overcrowding and inhumane living conditions. Human rights organizations frequently report that these facilities lack essential services and amenities.

Numerous accounts document allegations of abuse by law enforcement within detainee facilities, with claims of physical violence, neglect, and humiliation coming from both detainees and activists. This culture of impunity complicates prospects for accountability, as complaints of misconduct by authorities are frequently ignored or dismissed. Oversight bodies, such as the European Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), have voiced serious concerns about the entrenched nature of these human rights violations, which stymie effective oversight. A significant impediment for detainees is the lack of awareness regarding their legal rights. Many individuals are not provided with adequate legal aid or interpretation services, which leads to confusion and a feeling of helplessness about their legal status.

Amidst these appalling conditions, detainees have expressed their resistance through organised protests, hunger strikes, and other forms of collective action, affirming their quest for dignity and recognition. Human rights NGOs and solidarity groups play a critical role in supporting these movements, amplifying the voices of affected individuals, and drawing attention to the injustices rampant within the detention system.

There is little official clarity over how many people are actually detained in Greece and the sites they are placed in. So, too, it is difficult to demarcate the detention estate. There are seven active pre-removal detention centres in Greece. Six centres on the mainland (Amygdaleza, Petrou Ralli, Corinth, Xanthi, Paranesti, Fylakio) and one on the islands in Kos. According to information provided by the Greek government, the total pre-removal detention capacity was 3,836 places by mid 2024. Foreign citizens are also detained in closed controlled centres on the islands, numerous police stations and other police buildings, like border guard stations. Throughout 2023, 24,174 detention orders were issued by the Hellenic Police. At the end of 2023, the total number of third country nationals detained in police stations or other facilities countrywide was 2,564. Furthermore, throughout 2022, the total number of unaccompanied children in administrative detention in Pre-Removal Detention Centres and police stations countrywide was 504.

Yet, there is more. In Evros, ad hoc facilities, mainly repurposed wheat warehouses, have been used over the years as spaces for detention. Research has also uncovered semi-official places, like the Poros Facility, which has been employed as an unofficial detention site prior to pushback operations, given the complete absence of any registration of detention. Testimony evidence collected by actors in the field suggests that detention in informal facilities prior to pushbacks is a common practice in the area. Researchers have also spoken about fenced yards, portacabins, warehouses, garages, and even animal pens.

The trajectory of immigration detention in Greece is concerning. The current right-wing government's rhetoric increasingly favours stringent control and punitive measures, raising alarms about proposals that may expand the scope of detention without proper individual assessment—a practice that could disproportionately impact those most in need of protection. In light of these unfolding circumstances, documenting and addressing the realities behind bars is more urgent than ever to ensure accountability and the protection of rights for all detainees in Greece.