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Europe mostly uses proxies to catch & expel migrants. But during corona, Greece has increasingly gone it alone
Its latest tactic? Orange rafts
Since March, Greece has abandoned over 1000 ppl at sea — often in motorless orange rafts
Our report
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/14/world/europe/greece-migrants-abandoning-sea.html
Its latest tactic? Orange rafts
Since March, Greece has abandoned over 1000 ppl at sea — often in motorless orange rafts
Our report
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/14/world/europe/greece-migrants-abandoning-sea.html
Greece denies doing this. But dozens of refugees and researchers have evidence that proves otherwise.
Our investigation centers on the fate of 23 migrants who said they arrived in Greece on 23 Jul — before being detained & then secretly abandoned at sea on the night of 26 Jul
Our investigation centers on the fate of 23 migrants who said they arrived in Greece on 23 Jul — before being detained & then secretly abandoned at sea on the night of 26 Jul
The Greek coastguard say they have no record of this group's arrival on Greek soil.
But after arriving back in Turkey, some of the survivors sent us videos of the camp where they were detained on the Greek island of Rhodes.
In this footage were several distinctive features.
But after arriving back in Turkey, some of the survivors sent us videos of the camp where they were detained on the Greek island of Rhodes.
In this footage were several distinctive features.
For a start, you can see this strange ship in the background, beyond the camp fence.
The green circle is my annotation of a screengrab from the video.
The green circle is my annotation of a screengrab from the video.
Beyond another fence, you could also see this odd stairway.
Also of interest: The yellow bin.
Beyond a third fence was this boat:
In the distance was this maroon-and-white boat. (Again, the annotation is mine.)
Behind a tent, there was some kind of reddish structure.
And beyond the 4th fence was the hull of this wrecked boat.
The survivors also had a few other clues. They remembered that:
1) the detention camp was close to a big ferry port
2) beside the camp was some kind of 2nd facility for refugees who'd been on the island since 2019
3) police allowed an old Greek volunteer to visit them
1) the detention camp was close to a big ferry port
2) beside the camp was some kind of 2nd facility for refugees who'd been on the island since 2019
3) police allowed an old Greek volunteer to visit them
To confirm the camp existed, I went to Rhodes itself — and headed to the area beside the ferry port.
Sure enough, beside the ferry port was the now-empty makeshift camp that the survivors had filmed. https://goo.gl/maps/bceEmKG8FY4pZKh27
Sure enough, beside the ferry port was the now-empty makeshift camp that the survivors had filmed. https://goo.gl/maps/bceEmKG8FY4pZKh27
To the north of the camp was the strange red-yellow ship.
To the east was the strange stair structure.
To the south and south-east were the two other boats.
To the north-west was the blueish wrecked hull.
The bin was indeed yellow.
And the red object turned out to be a portable toilet.
Next door was a disused slaughterhouse, in which dozens of refugees who arrived in 2019 were now living.
Several of them remembered the refugees who were held in the adjacent camp in late July.
Several of them remembered the refugees who were held in the adjacent camp in late July.
The Greek volunteer, Dinos Mantikos, was there too. He regularly delivers food to the slaughterhouse. He was cagey — but remembered the group held in the camp next door. He said police had told him they were transferred to the mainland.
An official at the island's mayor's office said the camp was run by the port police, a branch of the coast guard, and referred queries to them instead. Then an official at the port police confirmed the camp was theirs, but described the secret deportation as "Fake News".
Except, it wasn't.
Early on 27 July, the group was photographed floundering off the coast of Turkey in an orange life raft. At its center is Najma al-Khatib, one of the survivors we interviewed.
Read her testimony & others like it in our full report
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/14/world/europe/greece-migrants-abandoning-sea.html
Early on 27 July, the group was photographed floundering off the coast of Turkey in an orange life raft. At its center is Najma al-Khatib, one of the survivors we interviewed.
Read her testimony & others like it in our full report
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/14/world/europe/greece-migrants-abandoning-sea.html
Since publication, the Greek govt issued a careful 2nd statement
Its main denial: "we will continue to vigorously protect the borders of the EU as provided by national and European law. We strongly deny claims made to the contrary"
Read it all: https://migration.gov.gr/deltio-typoy-apantisi-se-dimosieymata-xenoy-typoy/
Its main denial: "we will continue to vigorously protect the borders of the EU as provided by national and European law. We strongly deny claims made to the contrary"
Read it all: https://migration.gov.gr/deltio-typoy-apantisi-se-dimosieymata-xenoy-typoy/
PM @kmitsotakis gave @camanpour a clearer answer: Greece "has not" left migrants at sea.
He added: "If there is any incident that needs to be explored.. I'm going to be the first to look into it."
I've asked his office what incidents he's looking at. https://twitter.com/camanpour/status/1296150232976195585
He added: "If there is any incident that needs to be explored.. I'm going to be the first to look into it."
I've asked his office what incidents he's looking at. https://twitter.com/camanpour/status/1296150232976195585
Even as @kmitsotakis spoke with @camanpour, yet more documentation had emerged. Footage published by @alarm_phone shows several rafts adrift on 9 Aug. At 0:09, note the logo of @Lalizassa, a Greek company contracted to sell rafts to the Greek gov https://twitter.com/alarm_phone/status/1294637733189758976?s=20
Yet more evidence of Greek authorities abandoning people at sea — documented by @JosoorNet & @nonamekitchen1
Coastguards from
ship ΛΣ-618 allegedly sabotaged a boat on 11 July & left it floating at sea
More for @kmitsotakis to investigate https://www.borderviolence.eu/bvmn-investigations-analysis-of-video-footage-showing-involvement-of-hellenic-coast-guard-in-maritime-pushback/?fbclid=IwAR0rkzUjMIrqNP3wCCEQURvb0QoMS96eiSND72uXbDWcPq6rDTR-BqI4VXo
Coastguards from
ship ΛΣ-618 allegedly sabotaged a boat on 11 July & left it floating at seaMore for @kmitsotakis to investigate https://www.borderviolence.eu/bvmn-investigations-analysis-of-video-footage-showing-involvement-of-hellenic-coast-guard-in-maritime-pushback/?fbclid=IwAR0rkzUjMIrqNP3wCCEQURvb0QoMS96eiSND72uXbDWcPq6rDTR-BqI4VXo
