Press Release

JOINT STATEMENT BY LEGAL CENTRE LESVOS, BORDERLINE-EUROPE, CAN’T EVICT SOLIDARITY AND AEGEAN MIGRANT SOLIDARITY
Since 2015, with the increased arrivals of boats coming from Turkey to Greece, thousands of people have faced charges, and people accused or convicted of human smuggling now make up the second largest prison population in Greece. The prosecution of A.B. is unfortunately not unique, as the targeting of migrants as smugglers has become a part of migration management in Greece, and throughout Europe.

The Greek National Commission for Human Rights (GNCHR) as the National Human Rights Institution in Greece (NHRI) and the independent advisory body to the Greek State for the protection and promotion of human rights, presented the Recording Mechanism of Incidents of Informal Forced Returns at a Press Conference held at its premises on Tuesday 24 January at 11.30 am. During the Conference the Recording Mechanism's mode of operation and methodology was presented, as well as a number of findings, recorded in its first Interim Report.

Legal Centre Lesvos publishes today a forensic reconstruction video, linked here, produced by an independent forensic research team. The team held interviews with survivors of the pushback, analysed testimonies and available evidence of the pushback, including evidence from Greek authorities and Frontex, and produced a reconstruction video of the events on 20-21 October 2020.

Joint statement by Legal Centre Lesvos, Borderline-Europe, Can't Evict Solidarity and Aegean Migrant Solidarity
On 05 December 2022, after more than 2,5 years of waiting, the trial of A.B. will take place in Mytilene, Lesvos. Despite video evidence to the contrary, A.B. was singled out by the authorities and accused of steering the boat in which he and 28 others arrived in Greece.

In view of the mandatory reassessment by Greece of the designation of Türkiye as a “safe third country” in November, 15 civil society organisations have written to the Greek Asylum Service, the Ministers of Migration and Asylum and of Foreign Affairs, and the European Commission urging them to:

Immediately repeal the national list of safe third countries set out by JMD 42799/2021, as amended by JMD 458568/2021.

Publish previous and upcoming opinions of the Director of the Asylum Service regarding the designation of safe third countries, which should be made available to asylum seekers subject to the application of the list according to the European Commission.

Stop dismissing asylum applications as inadmissible based on the “safe third country” concept.

Ο Συνήγορος καλεί την πολιτική ηγεσία να επανεξετάσει τη συμμετοχή του στις επιτροπές αυτές προκειμένου να διασφαλίσει τον ρόλο και την φυσιογνωμία της Ανεξάρτητης Αρχής αλλά και των προαναφερόμενων επιτροπών.