{"id":22677,"date":"2025-05-12T10:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-05-12T07:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/?p=22677"},"modified":"2025-05-07T17:23:25","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T14:23:25","slug":"immigration-detention-statistics-in-greece-in-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/immigration-detention-statistics-in-greece-in-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Immigration detention statistics in Greece in 2024: Systematic deportation and detention orders against refugees"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"22677\" class=\"elementor elementor-22677 elementor-22669\" data-elementor-post-type=\"post\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f503b7f e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"f503b7f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-61519bb elementor-widget elementor-widget-theme-post-title elementor-page-title elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"61519bb\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"theme-post-title.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h1 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Immigration detention statistics in Greece in 2024: Systematic deportation and detention orders against refugees<\/h1>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8a63ac3 elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"8a63ac3\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-b69bb74 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"b69bb74\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-68d24c8 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"68d24c8\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Immigration detention statistics in Greece in 2024: This note analyses official statistics on return, deportation and immigration detention in Greece in 2024, made available by the Greek authorities in response to parliamentary questions. <\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-027c4da elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"027c4da\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>The figures confirm for yet another year a persisting arbitrary practice of systematic use of deportation and immigration detention against refugees and migrants, even for countries where returns are neither permissible nor feasible in practice such as Syria and Afghanistan.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-781e5d4 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"781e5d4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-324d6d5 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"324d6d5\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2d3e7bf elementor-widget elementor-widget-spacer\" data-id=\"2d3e7bf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"spacer.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-spacer-inner\"><\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-efca93e elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"efca93e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Main figures<\/h3>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-db92723 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget-mobile__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"db92723\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>Returns &amp; deportations<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>31,629<\/b> <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hellenic Police decisions: <\/span><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>12,390<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">return decisions (Return Directive) and <\/span><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>19,239<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">deportation decisions (derogation from the Directive). Main nationalities are by far Afghanistan (7,095) and Syria (6,011)<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>5,865<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">returns of third-country nationals, of which 4,330 concern nationals of Albania and Georgia, not represented in arrivals via Evros, Central and Eastern Mediterranean<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Review of return &amp; deportation orders<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>306<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">decisions challenged through an administrative appeal to the Hellenic Police (0.97%)<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>3.2%<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">approval rate in appeals before the Hellenic Police<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Immigration detention<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>29,233<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">detention orders: <\/span><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>7,608<\/b><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> in return procedures (Return Directive), <\/span><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>19,148<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in deportation procedures (derogation from the Directive) and <\/span><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>2,477<\/b> <\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in the asylum process (Reception Conditions Directive)<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>99.5%<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">detention rate in deportation procedures<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>61.4%<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">detention rate in return procedures<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Judicial review of detention<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>4,130<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">orders challenged through objections in administrative courts (14.1%)<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>42.2%<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">approval rate in objections before administrative courts<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>0.96%<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">rate of detention orders quashed in <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ex officio <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">review by the same courts based on the same provisions<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>Detention conditions<\/b><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>1,463<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">people detained in pre-removal centres at the end of 2024, of whom <\/span><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>557<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in Amygdaleza and <\/span><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>289<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">in Paranesti. Main countries include Egypt (487 detainees) and Pakistan (350 detainees)<\/span><\/p>\n<p style=\"padding-left: 40px;\"><span style=\"color: #95b8a2;\"><b>163<\/b><\/span> <span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">people detained in police stations at the end of 2024<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8ecb488 e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8ecb488\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;,&quot;sticky&quot;:&quot;bottom&quot;,&quot;sticky_on&quot;:[&quot;desktop&quot;,&quot;tablet&quot;,&quot;mobile&quot;],&quot;sticky_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_effects_offset&quot;:0,&quot;sticky_anchor_link_offset&quot;:0}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-4719e84 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"4719e84\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-md\" href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/2025-05_RSA_Detention2024_\u0395\u039d.pdf\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Download the note (pdf)<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8f2fd9f e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"8f2fd9f\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-91f90e5 elementor-widget-divider--view-line elementor-widget elementor-widget-divider\" data-id=\"91f90e5\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"divider.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-divider\">\n\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-divider-separator\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-c4c143b elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget-mobile__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"c4c143b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><em><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below, we present a selection of key statistical data on administration detention in Greece in 2024, drawn from the full content of the note.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-02489ca elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"02489ca\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Return procedures<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-af38d8d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"af38d8d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>The Hellenic Police issued a total of 31,629 removal orders from the Greek territory over the past year, up from 29,869 in 2023.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><b>We continue to <\/b><a href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/new-pact-on-migration-and-asylum-2024\/\"><b>stress<\/b><\/a><b> that police authorities systematically circumvent EU law by indiscriminately issuing deportation decisions against newly arrived people who seek asylum and thereby have a right to remain in Greece. <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data show that the main countries of origin of persons subject to deportation orders in derogation from the Return Directive were by far Afghanistan and Syria, even though the overwhelming majority of nationals of those countries who apply for asylum are recognised as refugees.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2e22ed0 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"2e22ed0\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"flourish-embed flourish-chart\" data-src=\"visualisation\/23024878\"><script src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/resources\/embed.js\"><\/script><noscript><img src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/visualisation\/23024878\/thumbnail\" width=\"100%\" alt=\"chart visualization\" \/><\/noscript><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-24eee74 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"24eee74\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>Throughout the past year, Greece carried out a total of 5,865 returns and deportations. This represents a decrease from 6,340 in 2023, despite a higher number of return and deportation orders.\u00a0<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Out of the 5,865 removals carried out last year, 2,550 were forced removals, 944 were voluntary departures within a set deadline under a return decision, and 2,371 were voluntary returns supported by the International Organisation for Migration (IOM):<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3fef59c elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"3fef59c\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"flourish-embed flourish-chart\" data-src=\"visualisation\/23024950\"><script src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/resources\/embed.js\"><\/script><noscript><img src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/visualisation\/23024950\/thumbnail\" width=\"100%\" alt=\"chart visualization\" \/><\/noscript><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6f87b7d elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"6f87b7d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Official statistics demonstrate that the vast majority of returns and deportations \u2013 nearly \u00be of the total \u2013 carried out in 2024 solely concern nationals of Albania (2,165) and Georgia (2,165), not represented in the data on arrivals via Evros, the Central and Eastern Mediterranean. Most returns were forced in the case of Albania, while in the case of Georgia most were voluntary and implemented through IOM.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-506ec45 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"506ec45\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-51e1a6b elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"51e1a6b\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Resort to immigration detention<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-90bf232 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"90bf232\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>The Hellenic Police took 29,233 detention orders in 2024.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Official figures for 2024 show that <\/span><b>Greece continued to impose pre-removal detention in removal proceedings and not as a measure of last resort, as required by international, EU and domestic law. 99.5% of deportation orders were accompanied by detention<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">, as opposed to <\/span><b>61.4%<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of <\/span><b>return orders<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> under L 3907\/2011 transposing the Return Directive.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The <\/span><b>main nationalities<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> of people subjected to immigration detention in 2024 were <\/span><b>Afghanistan <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(7,012) and <\/span><b>Syria <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(5,724). The figures raise severe concerns as to the legality and purpose of Greece\u2019s recourse to deprivation of liberty:<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-81ad168 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"81ad168\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"flourish-embed flourish-chart\" data-src=\"visualisation\/23025003\"><script src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/resources\/embed.js\"><\/script><noscript><img src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/visualisation\/23025003\/thumbnail\" width=\"100%\" alt=\"chart visualization\" \/><\/noscript><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e3722fe elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"e3722fe\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Pre-removal detention may only be imposed where there is a reasonable prospect of removal from the Greek territory, among other conditions. Yet, in the case of people originating from countries such as Afghanistan, Syria, Eritrea, Palestine, Yemen or Sudan, <\/span><b>pre-removal detention was used without any removal prospect either to the country of origin or to T\u00fcrkiye<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. We recall that the percentage of positive Asylum Service decisions remain extremely high and exceed 99% for several of the above countries.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-2730636 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"2730636\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-6616246 elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"6616246\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Judicial review of detention<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1012aaa elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"1012aaa\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>4,130 objections against detention were lodged in 2024, corresponding to 14.1% of the total number of detention orders. This means that less than one out of five detention orders were challenged before the courts.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> The aforementioned barriers to access to the administrative appeal against return and deportation decisions, coupled with the persisting complete absence of free legal assistance, undermine access to this remedy.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><b>42.2% of objections against detention examined on the merits by the administrative courts were granted in 2024.<\/b><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For yet another year, sharp disparities persisted between judicial review of detention in objections and <\/span><i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">ex officio <\/span><\/i><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">judicial review of extensions of detention orders based on domestic asylum and return legislation, even though these concern the very same provisions and are carried out by the same courts. These figures demonstrate enduring, manifest discrepancies in the operation of existing mechanisms for judicial review of the legality of detention. <\/span><b>The administrative courts quashed 42.2% of detention orders brought before them through objections but found less than 1% of orders they reviewed <\/b><b><i>ex officio<\/i><\/b><b> to be unlawful.<\/b><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3e3a109 elementor-widget__width-initial elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"3e3a109\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"flourish-embed flourish-chart\" data-src=\"visualisation\/23025065\"><script src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/resources\/embed.js\"><\/script><noscript><img src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/visualisation\/23025065\/thumbnail\" width=\"100%\" alt=\"chart visualization\" \/><\/noscript><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fabd00e elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fabd00e\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is therefore a pressing need for free legal assistance in line with EU law and with the assurances of the Greek government, with a view to ensuring fair and effective review of detention. Greek authorities, however, have yet to introduce a free legal assistance scheme for persons held in immigration detention.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d16e7c9 e-con-full e-flex e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"d16e7c9\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-de0c94d elementor-widget elementor-widget-heading\" data-id=\"de0c94d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"heading.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<h2 class=\"elementor-heading-title elementor-size-default\">Detention conditions<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-a9e64f4 elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"a9e64f4\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>1,626 people were in immigration detention at the end of 2024 \u2013 a slight decrease compared to the previous year.<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> Of those, 1,463 were detained in six pre-removal detention centres and 163 in police stations throughout Greece:<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-3283848 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"3283848\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"flourish-embed flourish-chart\" data-src=\"visualisation\/23025114\"><script src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/resources\/embed.js\"><\/script><noscript><img src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/visualisation\/23025114\/thumbnail\" width=\"100%\" alt=\"chart visualization\" \/><\/noscript><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-fc9decc elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"fc9decc\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><b>Egypt <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(487) was the main country of origin of people detained at the end of last year, mainly in Paranesti (185) and Amygdaleza (142). The second main country of origin was <\/span><b>Pakistan <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">(350), whose nationals were mainly held in Corinth (156) and Amygdaleza (126). <\/span><b>T\u00fcrkiye <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">and <\/span><b>Afghanistan <\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">are among the top five countries of origin of people in immigration detention at the end of 2024.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Data provided in reply to parliamentary questions refer to <\/span><b>deployment of Health Units SA (<\/b><b><i>\u0391\u03bd\u03ce\u03bd\u03c5\u03bc\u03b7 \u0395\u03c4\u03b1\u03b9\u03c1\u03af\u03b1 \u039c\u03bf\u03bd\u03ac\u03b4\u03c9\u03bd \u03a5\u03b3\u03b5\u03af\u03b1\u03c2<\/i><\/b><b>, AEMY) personnel in the pre-removal detention centres at the end of 2024<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> as follows:<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-8314255 elementor-widget elementor-widget-html\" data-id=\"8314255\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"html.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"flourish-embed flourish-table\" data-src=\"visualisation\/23025174\"><script src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/resources\/embed.js\"><\/script><noscript><img src=\"https:\/\/public.flourish.studio\/visualisation\/23025174\/thumbnail\" width=\"100%\" alt=\"table visualization\" \/><\/noscript><\/div>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-52bd4be elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"52bd4be\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">These figures reflect <\/span><b>constant shortages in health care for people held in immigration detention<\/b><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. For instance, no doctor was present in Xanthi, where almost 200 people were detained, while Paranesti had one doctor for almost 300 people.<\/span><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e55110d e-flex e-con-boxed e-con e-parent\" data-id=\"e55110d\" data-element_type=\"container\" data-e-type=\"container\" data-settings=\"{&quot;background_background&quot;:&quot;classic&quot;}\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"e-con-inner\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-1600501 elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"1600501\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-e-type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-md\" href=\"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/2025-05_RSA_Detention2024_\u0395\u039d.pdf\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Download the note (pdf)<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This note analyses official statistics on return, deportation and immigration detention in Greece in 2024<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":9,"featured_media":22686,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"give_campaign_id":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[239,248,141,243,5,137,1],"tags":[336,18],"class_list":{"0":"post-22677","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-briefings","8":"category-detention","9":"category-detention-and-reception-conditions","10":"category-facts-and-figures","11":"category-publications","12":"category-topics","13":"category-1","14":"tag-2025-2","15":"tag-featured"},"menu_order":0,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22677","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/9"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22677"}],"version-history":[{"count":8,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22677\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22742,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22677\/revisions\/22742"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22686"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22677"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22677"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/rsaegean.org\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22677"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}