Greece has been condemned several times by the European Court of Human Rights for its inhuman and degrading detention conditions in cases concerning asylum-seekers, including unaccompanied children. Immigration and asylum detention has steadily increased since 2017, while recent legislative reforms render more asylum-seekers detainable, for longer periods (up to 36 months), and with less procedural guarantees. The Greek authorities also move towards the establishment of closed centres on the Aegean islands that will replace the existing hotspots.
RSA supports cases of asylum-seekers before the Greek authorities and in litigation before the European Court of Human Rights and challenges the lawfulness of their detention, focusing especially on victims of torture and persons suffering with mental health problems as well as their conditions of detention.
Official data demonstrate that the Greek authorities continue to systematically detain asylum seekers and irregular migrants. The figures reveal a severe violation of the duty of the state to use deprivation of liberty only as a last resort, when necessity and proportionality so require.
Greece is intensifying its detention policy under the hypocritical and tolerating gaze of the EU. More specifically, on Kos and – during the operation of the pre-removal centre – in Evros the authorities apply a policy of generalised and systematic detention of newly arrived asylum seekers subject to a few exceptions, whereas even vulnerable people are detained for prolonged periods.
Legal aid organizations express concerns regarding the unprecedented administrative practice of the Regional Asylum Office of Lesvos, which goes against…
In the framework of their campaign #StopTheToxicDeal RSA and PRO ASYL publish today the fourth topic that concerns Detention. #StopTheToxicDeal
Despite facilities in Kos have already reached maximum capacity due to increased arrivals from Turkey, the few last weeks authorities…
On March 30th a new pre-removal detention center was opened on Kos Island. Similar detention centers are planned on other…
