Ανθρώπινα δικαιώματα

Incarcerating the Marginalized. The Fight Against Alleged ›Smugglers‹ on the Greek Hotspot Islands. A report on the criminalization of migration. The following report outlines the system of punishment and incarceration of migrants who are accused of human smuggling at the EU-external border in the Aegean. It bears witness to the fates of people who have been sentenced to life long imprisonment in Greece

Located in remote areas far from local communities, with 24/7 CCTV and barbed-wire fences, these prison-like complexes go against the core principles of European policy, including for example in the EU Action Plan on Integration and Inclusion, with disproportionate focus on deterrence, isolation and containment.

UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, together with sister UN agencies, NGO partners, municipalities and authorities discussed with refugees and asylum-seekers across Greece to identify their main concerns and key recommendations around protection and integration. A regular part of UNHCR’s programming, the Participatory Assessment (PA) provides an opportunity for UNHCR and others to assess the existing humanitarian programmes and adjust future initiatives in line with refugees’ feedback.