Arrests

The report describes how denial of assistance, violence and refoulement have become an integral part of a border management system on the islands of Samos and Lesvos, funded and legitimised by the European Union, with devastating consequences for those seeking protection in Europe.

Since July 2023, the Aegean islands have experienced a sharp increase in arriving asylum seekers crossing by boat from Türkiye. Between 1 July – 31 August 2023, over 4,000 people were brought to the Closed Controlled Access Centres (CCACs) on Samos and Lesvos and placed into unlawful detention while awaiting registration of their asylum requests.