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Thread: over the last few months, researchers, journalists, and #humanitarian & human rights organizations have documented an alarming rise in coercive & unlawful #migration enforcement measures at Greece's land & maritime borders, and in Greece's interior. To wit:
In November 2019, @mobileinfoteam released 'Illegal #Pushbacks at the Border: Denying #Refugees the Right to Claim #Asylum,' documenting abuse against asylum seekers in northern Greece & unlawful expulsions across the Evros river from Greece to Turkey. https://www.mobileinfoteam.org/pushbacks
Starting in Dec. 2019, @ForensicArchi (working with @rights360 & @bellingcat on some investigations) has documented multiple unlawful acts by Greek security forces, including cross-river #pushbacks & the use of deadly force at the Kastanies land crossing. https://forensic-architecture.org/location/greece
In March 2020, @lk2015r et al. revealed in @RESPOND_H2020 that a secretive site, once acknowledged in Greek & EU records as an irregular #migration management site, then scrubbed from the record, was still operating in 2020, possibly to stage #pushbacks. https://www.respondmigration.com/blog-1/border-regime-poros-detention-facility-evros-greece
In May 2020, @Border_Violence, @WaveThess, @mobileinfoteam documented pushbacks initiated in Diavata, ~350km inside Greek territory.
The Border Violence Monitoring Network have also thoroughly documented #pushbacks at multiple points on the Balkan route.
https://www.borderviolence.eu/press-release-documented-pushbacks-from-centres-on-the-greek-mainland/
The Border Violence Monitoring Network have also thoroughly documented #pushbacks at multiple points on the Balkan route.
https://www.borderviolence.eu/press-release-documented-pushbacks-from-centres-on-the-greek-mainland/
In May 2020, @NiamhKTabbal & @itamann, writing for @just_security, revealed that #asylum seekers off the coast of #Lesvos had been re-embarked on rudderless, motorless orange rafts, and left at sea to drift back into Turkish waters. https://www.justsecurity.org/70309/tents-at-sea-how-greek-officials-use-rescue-equipment-for-illegal-deportations/
In May & June 2020, @bellingcat further documented maritime #pushbacks off of Samos & Lesvos.
In the first incident, #asylum seekers had reached Greek soil & were re-embarked. In the second they were violently attacked at sea.
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2020/05/20/samos-and-the-anatomy-of-a-maritime-push-back/ https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2020/06/23/masked-men-on-a-hellenic-coast-guard-boat-involved-in-pushback-incident/
In the first incident, #asylum seekers had reached Greek soil & were re-embarked. In the second they were violently attacked at sea.
https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2020/05/20/samos-and-the-anatomy-of-a-maritime-push-back/ https://www.bellingcat.com/news/uk-and-europe/2020/06/23/masked-men-on-a-hellenic-coast-guard-boat-involved-in-pushback-incident/
In June 2020 @ABoatReport documented a nighttime maritime pushback believed to have led to the disappearance of 4 #asylum seekers. Of the 39 passengers on the boat as of the initial distress call only 35 were eventually rescued by the Turkish Coast Guard.
https://www.facebook.com/AegeanBoatReport/posts/864349694088136
https://www.facebook.com/AegeanBoatReport/posts/864349694088136
On July 5, 2020, the Committee Civil Liberties, Justice & Home Affairs of the European Parliament invited Greek & EU officials to discuss these allegations. Their responses, either ill-informed or untruthful, are on the record:
https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/libe-committee-meeting_20200706-0900-COMMITTEE-LIBE_vd
https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/libe-committee-meeting_20200706-1645-COMMITTEE-LIBE_vd
https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/libe-committee-meeting_20200706-0900-COMMITTEE-LIBE_vd
https://multimedia.europarl.europa.eu/en/libe-committee-meeting_20200706-1645-COMMITTEE-LIBE_vd
Two days ago @lesboslegal released 'Collective Expulsions Documented in the Aegean Sea: March-June 2020' documenting unlawful practices in Greece & Turkey, & suggesting some of the documented border enforcement methods constitute crimes against humanity.
http://legalcentrelesvos.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Collective-Expulsions-in-the-Aegean-July-2020-LCL.pdf
http://legalcentrelesvos.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Collective-Expulsions-in-the-Aegean-July-2020-LCL.pdf
Today @hrw released yet another report documenting collective expulsions and demanding that Greek & EU authorities investigate & halt these unlawful & life-endangering practices. https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/07/16/greece-investigate-pushbacks-collective-expulsions
A few things
- this list of reports & investigations is by no means comprehensive;
- it bears repeating that #pushbacks are rife in the Balkans. Greece is far from impolute, but also far from the sole offending actor.
Please support the orgs listed above. Their work is crucial.
- this list of reports & investigations is by no means comprehensive;
- it bears repeating that #pushbacks are rife in the Balkans. Greece is far from impolute, but also far from the sole offending actor.
Please support the orgs listed above. Their work is crucial.
Couple more things:
- I didn't list @alarm_phone in the above thread but their work is also crucial
- @Border_Violence *just* released yet another report on violent pushbacks:
https://www.borderviolence.eu/balkan-region-report-june-2020/
- at least 1 other re woke up & had the same idea today https://twitter.com/katymfallon/status/1278278854017155073
- I didn't list @alarm_phone in the above thread but their work is also crucial
- @Border_Violence *just* released yet another report on violent pushbacks:
https://www.borderviolence.eu/balkan-region-report-june-2020/
- at least 1 other re woke up & had the same idea today https://twitter.com/katymfallon/status/1278278854017155073
