- 21 In the context of the measures taken to manage the foreign nationals accommodated at the
Reception and Identification Centres (RICs) of the Eastern Aegean islands, a series of relevant
instructions have been issued and voluntary return is enabled (through IOM programmes) as an
alternative for irregular foreign nationals who cannot continue their journey to central and northern
Europe.
Paragraph 30: Request for information: transfer of irregular foreign nationals from Eastern
Aegean islands to PROKEKAs at mainland Greece
At the same time, in the context of the measures taken to manage the foreign nationals
accommodated at the Reception and Identification Centres (RICs) of the Eastern Aegean islands,
foreign nationals who, although measures alternative to detention have been taken (issuance of
decisions suspending expulsion on the basis of the return procedure) with the restriction of nondeparture from the island where they stay until they return to Turkey (review of asylum requests,
exercise of remedies), committed offences during their free stay on the island (theft, threats-insults,
bodily injuries etc.) are transferred to Pre-Departure Detention Centres for Foreign Nationals
(PROKEKA) on the mainland until their registration and the review of the asylum requests and
until they can be returned to Turkey (return on the islands) in case their requests are rejected.
These transfers of delinquent foreign nationals were effected until November 2016 (the Turkish
authorities put out obstacles to the transfer of third-country nationals to the mainland).
They remain on the island of Lesbos since then and are detained until the completion of the
procedure for their return to Turkey.
SECTION B –Foreign national children deprived of their liberty
1. Preliminary remarks
2. Unaccompanied and separated children (UASC) held at RICs
Provision of general information within the competence of the Hellenic Police
The issue of increased migrant flows on Greek territory is a major matter with a humanitarian
dimension. The Hellenic Police Headquarters have been making efforts to take all necessary
measures to effectively deal with this phenomenon in a manner ensuring the verification of the legal
stay of foreign nationals in our country and their circulation/transportation in the Schengen area.
The matter of management of unaccompanied children and, overall, of children being third-country
nationals has been carefully monitored by the Hellenic Police. It is a matter of special concern for
our agencies and, in the context of their social role and mission, it is handled with sensitivity and
attention in order to provide the required degree of protection to this sensitive age group. To this
end, any instance of illegal entry of foreign children is notified and referred immediately by the
police agencies to the prosecuting authorities (article 45 of Law 4375/2016, articles 25 and 32 of
Law 3907/2011 and article 19 of presidential decree 220/2007).
In this context, in case of unaccompanied children or victims of trafficking in human beings, the
competent prosecuting or police authorities take the necessary measures to determine their identity
and nationality and establish that they are not accompanied and then make every possible effort to
locate their family as soon as possible and immediately take the necessary measures to ensure their
legal representation and, if required, their representation in criminal proceedings.
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