Author: " RESPOND" | respondmigration.com | 10 March 2020
THE GREEK TEAM OF THE EC-FUNDED INTERNATIONAL RESEARCH PROJECT “RESPOND: MULTILEVEL GOVERNANCE OF MASS MIGRATION IN EUROPE AND BEYOND” EXPRESSES ITS DEEPEST CONCERN REGARDING THE UPSURGE OF RACIST VIOLENCE, INSTITUTIONAL ABUSE AND HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS UNFOLDING ON THE GREEK AND EUROPEAN SEA AND LAND BORDERS WITH TURKEY, WHERE THOUSANDS OF DISPLACED PEOPLE ARE STRANDED UNDER INHUMANE CONDITIONS.
Since the end of February, after the movement of thousands of refugees towards the Greek-Turkish borders of Evros and eastern Aegean islands, the Greek authorities have escalated security and violence for the "protection" of the sea and land borders. The extreme and inhuman practices of border forces include until today pushbacks, teargasing, abuse and arrests of new arrivals. Refugees and migrants are being instrumentalised by political actors on both sides of the border, who are jeopardizing their safety and causing severe violations of their rights. The decision of the Greek government to suspend the reception of asylum applications, following the increase of new arrivals from Turkey, is a highly worrisome parallel development and a direct violation of international law.