Deportations

Over the past five years, an entirely avoidable and predictable policy-driven humanitarian crisis has been unfolding in the Greek islands of Lesvos, Samos, Chios, Leros, and Kos, with devasting consequences for the people trapped there. After fleeing their homes and surviving harrowing journeys to Europe, the indefinite containment, limbo, and systematic violence in Greece further traumatises people seeking protection.

We, the undersigned researchers, working on projects funded by the European Commission (Horizon 2020, ERC, MSC, etc.) to improve migration governance, border crossing, and the treatment of refugees in the European Union, want to express our paramount concern regarding the violent course of action that is taken by the EU and individual member states in these testing times.