30
mental healthcare standards in the PRDC on
respond and also did not release him.
Kos are not in line with Article 19 RCD, Article
Others share that detention has made them
47(7) IPA, and Article 31(3) Law 3907/201173, a
trend that continues this year. Participants of
this year’s interviews repeatedly brought up
their struggles with mental health while
detained. As evidenced in participants’
testimonies, detention has the potential to
create or exacerbate mental health issues, a
particularly alarming trend considering
asylum seekers are already at risk of
experiencing mental health issues by the time
they arrive to Greece.
Specifically, four participants, including one
minor, shared that they had experienced
suicidal thoughts during their detention
period. Naeem said,
“I think all the time, can only sleep for several
hours, and have suicidal thoughts...I feel like a
prisoner of my own thoughts,” while Ihsan
explained,
“Since I have been in detention, I am not well and
feel I am getting worse every day. I have thought of
lose their passion for life. As Adil explained it,
“Detention has had a big effect on my emotional
state as time has gone on. All my passion for life
when I was leaving my country to come to Europe
is dead now. I’m in a prison – I feel I’m living for
nothing,” while Ameen and Haidar shared, “I
was looking for freedom but was surprised with the
opposite of it, which emotionally affects you. You
lose your patience and your passion for life.”
Ameen and Haidar were the only participants
who were released at the time of interviewing.
When asked about their life post detention,
they shared that their time in detention
continues to negatively impact their life:
“I experienced some sort of trauma and dream
about prison, waking up in shock. The effect is still
there, and I’m always afraid of police in public.”
Not only does can detention thus create or
exacerbate detained persons’ mental illnesses,
but it also impacts their life after release.
my kids and brothers’ family and feel
6. Poor hygiene facilities and
materials
responsible...If I speak the truth, sometimes I feel
Consistent with the November 2021 report,
like I've even forgotten how to communicate with
participants shared that they still lack regular
people. I have this feeling that I've forgotten what I
access to essential hygiene products to clean
used to know and how to communicate with
their belongings, that there are insects in their
people, sit with people, and have a free talk with
facilities, and that they suffer from a lack of
people. I've been mentally distressed. I feel like I’ve
privacy. Moreover, as observed by Equal Rights
been tortured mentally and emotionally. I’ve
in participants’ testimonies, a lack of access to
almost forgotten everything.“
hygienic supplies and sanitary facilities
One participant interviewed for this report did
contributed to detained persons’ deteriorating
in fact attempt suicide while in detention.
mental health.
Equal Rights attempted to intervene and sent
First, participants continue to share that
an email to the police regarding his mental
although detainees are responsible for cleaning
suicide, it would be wrong to say no, but I think of
health condition, but the police failed to
73
Detained and Forgotten, supra note 3,at 64.
‘Still detained and forgotten’ – Update on Detention Policies, Practices, and Conditions on Kos 2022/23