Archive for the 'Asylum' Category
From an article today at BBC News entitled Asylum seekers ‘abused’ in Greece
Allegations that Greek police are abusing, threatening and torturing asylum-seekers are clearly taken very seriously in Athens.
The man responsible for the treatment of immigrants, spokesman for the Public Order Department of the Interior Ministry, Athanasios Andreolakos, offers the BBC more than an [...]
Via the BBC News from Athens based reporter Malcolm Brabant
Last week I posted about the children at a detention centre in Leros who went on a hunger strike to protest conditions there. The good news is that
Their action embarrassed the Greek government, which is under increasing pressure from its European Union partners to improve [...]
Via BBC
There has been a fair bit written recently about the current situation facing asylum seekers in Greece. You can find some of the articles covering the issue here. Greece is now rejecting the criticism made by the the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.
Greece says the UN’s accusations are untrue and it is trying to [...]
Another article about the difficulties of seeking asylum in Greece.
Via IPS
The European Council of Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) has called on all European member states “to follow the example of Norway by immediately suspending Dublin transfers to Greece”.
ECRE Secretary General Bjarte Vandvik said recently that
Greece is not a safe place for those in [...]
From the Norwegian Helsinki Committee
Oslo, Athens, 8 April 2008
Report on the violation of asylum seekers’ human rights by Greece
The situation for asylum seekers in Greece is alarming. Thousands of asylum seekers live under unworthy conditions, and without any forms of legal protection. The chance of receiving protection in Greece is close to zero. Transferring asylum [...]
From the EU Observer
A Swedish court has decided not to extradite an Iraqi man to Greece on the grounds that he might not recieve proper treatment here. This is the third country in recent weeks, that has gone against the Dublin agreement under which asylum seekers can be returned to the European country where they [...]
From the Athens News
After Norway, Germany could become the next European country to suspend the return of all asylum-seekers to Greece on the grounds that their rights may be violated. It has already suspended the return of unaccompanied minors to Greece.
Greece has the lowest asylum recognition rate in Europe at less than 1%.
Efthalia Pappa, director [...]
Under terms of a European agreement signed in Dublin, asylum seekers can be returned to the European country where they first applied for refugee status. Norway sent 74 asylum seekers back to Greece last year, on the basis of that agreement. The country has since decided to stop sending people back because of serious problems [...]
Norway Stops Returning Asylum Seekers to Greece
55 Comments Published by deviousdiva February 19th, 2008 in Asylum, Personal.From Aftenposten
Norway has stopped returning asylum seekers to Greece, following reports that they’ve have been abused and deported to their countries of origin without due process. Some of Norway’s biggest law firms, meanwhile, are offering to help refugees whose appeals have been rejected by Norwegian officials.
And this is the reason why
Norwegian officials are now concerned, [...]
I am posting this comment from Panayote Dimitras to the front page in light of this development:
Greece: Norway suspends asylum seekers referrals to Greece because of rights violations. Iraqi asylum seeker alleges ill-treatment and deception.
Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) informs that Norway suspended the referral of asylum seekers to Greece (as first country of entry according [...]
Via Cyprus Tales
A Nigerian political asylum applicant was arrested and beaten by plain clothes officers at Larnaca municipality only minutes before his marriage to a British woman was performed.
The incident was brought to light by immigrant support group, KISA, which issued a press release yesterday, and said it expected the authorities; immediate and thorough investigation [...]
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