Frontex has granted the request of the Greek government for the deployment of the Rapid Border Intervention Teams in the Evros border.
From their press release (25th of October 2010):
Greece requested the European Union to send armed so called Frontex Rapid Border Intervention Teams (RABITs) to the Greek-Turkish border. This became public on Monday the 25th of October 2010.
Greek government statistics state that irregular migration has been increasing in the Evros-Region where the land broder to Turkey stretches over 12 km. According to the Greek Minister of Citizens’ Protection Christos Papoutsis only during the first October weekend of this year 1,400 refugees have been intercepted in that region.
More than 3,000 interceptions took place between January and September. This is an increase of 300% compared to last years numbers. Most refugees fled from war-torn regions in Afghanistan.
This stage of escalation driven by the Greek government as well as the European Union raises deep concerns on the situation of the refugees. Over the past few weeks the situation of refugees in Greece have been harshly criticized as unbearable over and over again. UNHCR declared it a humanitarian crisis. Pro Asyl says, protection-seeking persons are either refouled right at the border or immediately arrested and detained in overcrowded detention centres under catastrophic conditions. There are numerous reports of violent attacks by the police against detained refugees. Access to an asylum procedure is nonexistent.
Most concerning is the fact that these serious human rights violations are taking place in the presence and direct participation of the European border agency Frontex. Within the framework of the so called Operation Poseidon the agency is being active in the Aegean for several years. In the beginning of 2010 the agency declared the operation to be the biggest in its history. After some research most of the officers assigned to this operation where transferred to the Evros-Region. Located directly in the detentions centres they carry out identification procedures. First of October this year the agency opened a Regional office at the Port of Piraeus in Athens.
The deployment of RABITs raises many questions. In a statement Cecilia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs expresses concerns about the humanitarian situation in Greece, however she assumes the problem will be solved by an European intervention in terms of border control.
The problem is not to be located in an inadequate surveillance of the border, but in the reception conditions of refugees in Greece. These conditions have to be fundamentally improved as soon as possible. Fulfilling key international obligations Greece has to offer every refugee the possibility of claiming asylum right after crossing the border. Currently this possibility is not given. A readmission to Turkey contradicts the principle of non-refoulement as laid down in the Geneva Convention.
During the swarming noborder actions in September this year Welcome to Europe network found out that refugees readmitted to Turkey are in danger of chain deportations to their country of origin.
Taking a concrete step towards solidarity not only with the member states, but also with the refugees, the European Union has to immediately halt all deportations to Greece under the Dublin II Regulation.
Update on the Jungle of Athens
This update dates back to 14th of October 2010.
It is around 9.30 in the morning, outside the basketball court newcomers are lying on the benches; one more family with three children, two of them small babies.
Back to the park: Reza, a 14 year old boy, was registered in Evros as 18 years old. He has severe health problems with his eye. Yesterday he was arrested by the police while hanging around at Victoria Park. He had a packet of tablets for his eye in his pocket that “the church” had given to him because of which the police accused him for carrying drugs. They put him inside the car for detainees for some hours and then released him because he was evidently underage. “They put me handcuffs,” he says laughing and showing the marks on his hands. It is not the first time that he was arrested. He stayed in prison at the Evros borders four days. For him as for the others these experiences turn more and more into mere banalities.
Another Afghan boy is passing by. Together with his family they are staying in one of the reception centres for refugees in Athens. They have the exceptional right to stay there for one month as they don’t have fulfilled the precondition of claiming asylum in Greece and then getting the so-called Red Card for asylum seekers. It is an unwritten law in Greece that refugees only find housing opportunities when they apply for asylum and when they belong to specific extra-vulnerable groups such as unaccompanied minors, single mother families etc. “We want to leave Greece, they give no asylum here,” says the youngster. Another anecdote of the disastrous “Greece of refugees” is the topic of a new announcement made by the Athens Bar Association at the 14th of October. They are protesting against the closure of the Attica Aliens Police department and the (repeated) resulting suspension of foreigners’ claims for international protection:
It is about 12 o’clock at the Attica Square, a little further from the park and the patrols go on. At the bottom of the square some policemen are controlling the papers of two immigrants. The square is empty; the fascist residents are sitting around the square fulfilling their self-proclaimed “duty”. At that time of the day the “square keepers” are mostly pensioners, men and women that found their personal meaning of life in chasing the refugees out of “their” square; fighting for the “cleanness” of “their neighbourhood” and “their nation”!
Unexpectedly a “new guy” – a refugee is walking thoughtlessly through the middle of the square when suddenly one of the female “square keepers” springs up, starts whistling, approaches him and while pushing him out of the square she is screaming in Greek: “Not here. Out, get out of here! Get the hell out of here!”
Two days later, between 19.30 and 3 o’clock in the morning. A group of the so called “indigenous” citizens attacks a mini market near the Attica Square, which belongs to a Bangladeshi immigrant:
“During the attack the Imam of the region together with another immigrant were injured. The conflict became widespread and as a result many were those injured; immigrants and Greeks. Immigrants on their attempt to escape the rage of the “citizens” found refuge in the nearby underground mosque that had been burned a half a year ago; when one policeman tried to tear the Koran that an immigrant was carrying. The “Indignant” residents blocked the entrance to the mosque and they afterwards started breaking the outer glass of the windows by throwing sticks and stones. 5 of the immigrants hidden inside the mosque have been injured. The people inside the mosque had to go out therefore and defend themselves with whatever found in the trash. When police arrived immigrants returned to the mosque, where they remained trapped for more than 1.5 hours. The “indignant” residents remained at the entrance of the mosque, shouting abusive slogans against immigrants and asking from the police to evict them. This was followed by conflicts at the nearby Attica square, where about 80 people were beating immigrants that were passing by,
Greek government statistics state that irregular migration has been increasing in the Evros-Region where the land broder to Turkey stretches over 12 km. According to the Greek Minister of Citizens’ Protection Christos Papoutsis only during the first October weekend of this year 1,400 refugees have been intercepted in that region.
Continue reading ‘Frontex Rapid Border Intervention Teams to patrol the Evros border’
The following interview was taken under difficult circumstances, on the phone of the prison. We had never seen each other before – it was a friend of a friend who brought us in contact. ahmad was not in a good mood – but he said that he wants to give testimony what happens in Hungary to the deported. He hopes that maybe, if the authorities knew what happens, they might stop the Dublin-system. He says:
Zalaergerszeg, 13th Oktober 2010 -
There are two conclusions:
From their press release (25th of October 2010):
“The situation in Greece is very serious. Acting on the basis of the Regulation 863/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council, I have decided that Frontex will provide assistance to the Greek border authorities by deploying adequate number and composition of Rapid Border Intervention Teams. Once deployed they will be operating under the command and control of the Greek authorities” stated Frontex Executive Director Ilkka Laitinen.There is a second press release of 26th October 2010:
“A team of Frontex staff is on its way to the Greek/Turkish land border to assess the situation in view of Minister Papoutsis’ request. We will decide how many officers and what kind of technical means will be needed to effectively assist the Greek authorities in strengthening this external EU border and act swiftly to provide the assistance that this Member State has requested. We will take immediate action of reorganising experts and assets being present in the area within the framework of Poseidon Joint Operation coordinated by Frontex” – he added.
Staff from the newly-opened Frontex Operational Office based in Piraeus have already arrived at the Greek-Turkish border to make an initial assessment of requirements. Frontex has contacted all Member States and Schengen Associate Countries to check the availability of the officers and is waiting for reply.
Frontex has also today sent an additional group of operational and analytical experts from its Warsaw HQ to Greece in order to begin development of an operational plan. The operational plan includes a detailed risk analysis, as well as defining the number and expertise of the officers to be deployed, length of the operation, and the type and amount of technical equipment necessary cover operational needs.
Frontex has granted the request of the Greek government for the deployment of the Rapid Border Intervention Teams in the Evros border.
From their press release (25th of October 2010):
From their press release (25th of October 2010):
“The situation in Greece is very serious. Acting on the basis of the Regulation 863/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council, I have decided that Frontex will provide assistance to the Greek border authorities by deploying adequate number and composition of Rapid Border Intervention Teams. Once deployed they will be operating under the command and control of the Greek authorities” stated Frontex Executive Director Ilkka Laitinen.There is a second press release of 26th October 2010:
“A team of Frontex staff is on its way to the Greek/Turkish land border to assess the situation in view of Minister Papoutsis’ request. We will decide how many officers and what kind of technical means will be needed to effectively assist the Greek authorities in strengthening this external EU border and act swiftly to provide the assistance that this Member State has requested. We will take immediate action of reorganising experts and assets being present in the area within the framework of Poseidon Joint Operation coordinated by Frontex” – he added.
Staff from the newly-opened Frontex Operational Office based in Piraeus have already arrived at the Greek-Turkish border to make an initial assessment of requirements. Frontex has contacted all Member States and Schengen Associate Countries to check the availability of the officers and is waiting for reply.
Frontex has also today sent an additional group of operational and analytical experts from its Warsaw HQ to Greece in order to begin development of an operational plan. The operational plan includes a detailed risk analysis, as well as defining the number and expertise of the officers to be deployed, length of the operation, and the type and amount of technical equipment necessary cover operational needs.
Frontex Rapid Border Intervention Teams to patrol the Evros border
The deployment of European border guard forces at the Greek-Turkish border increases the danger of readmitting refugees to Turkey and from there to their country of origin, where they are put at risk of facing human rights violations. The European Union should meet its obligations and ensure refugees’ protection and well-being.Greece requested the European Union to send armed so called Frontex Rapid Border Intervention Teams (RABITs) to the Greek-Turkish border. This became public on Monday the 25th of October 2010.
Greek government statistics state that irregular migration has been increasing in the Evros-Region where the land broder to Turkey stretches over 12 km. According to the Greek Minister of Citizens’ Protection Christos Papoutsis only during the first October weekend of this year 1,400 refugees have been intercepted in that region.
More than 3,000 interceptions took place between January and September. This is an increase of 300% compared to last years numbers. Most refugees fled from war-torn regions in Afghanistan.
This stage of escalation driven by the Greek government as well as the European Union raises deep concerns on the situation of the refugees. Over the past few weeks the situation of refugees in Greece have been harshly criticized as unbearable over and over again. UNHCR declared it a humanitarian crisis. Pro Asyl says, protection-seeking persons are either refouled right at the border or immediately arrested and detained in overcrowded detention centres under catastrophic conditions. There are numerous reports of violent attacks by the police against detained refugees. Access to an asylum procedure is nonexistent.
Most concerning is the fact that these serious human rights violations are taking place in the presence and direct participation of the European border agency Frontex. Within the framework of the so called Operation Poseidon the agency is being active in the Aegean for several years. In the beginning of 2010 the agency declared the operation to be the biggest in its history. After some research most of the officers assigned to this operation where transferred to the Evros-Region. Located directly in the detentions centres they carry out identification procedures. First of October this year the agency opened a Regional office at the Port of Piraeus in Athens.
The deployment of RABITs raises many questions. In a statement Cecilia Malmström, EU Commissioner for Home Affairs expresses concerns about the humanitarian situation in Greece, however she assumes the problem will be solved by an European intervention in terms of border control.
The problem is not to be located in an inadequate surveillance of the border, but in the reception conditions of refugees in Greece. These conditions have to be fundamentally improved as soon as possible. Fulfilling key international obligations Greece has to offer every refugee the possibility of claiming asylum right after crossing the border. Currently this possibility is not given. A readmission to Turkey contradicts the principle of non-refoulement as laid down in the Geneva Convention.
During the swarming noborder actions in September this year Welcome to Europe network found out that refugees readmitted to Turkey are in danger of chain deportations to their country of origin.
Taking a concrete step towards solidarity not only with the member states, but also with the refugees, the European Union has to immediately halt all deportations to Greece under the Dublin II Regulation.
Update on the Jungle of Athens
This update dates back to 14th of October 2010.
It is around 9.30 in the morning, outside the basketball court newcomers are lying on the benches; one more family with three children, two of them small babies.
They just arrived this morning, they look for a place to stay… for a room…
We were walking around the whole night, we couldn’t sleep because of the rain… some of the babies with their mothers went to sleep near the church of Ag. Panteleimonas,says a young Afghan men who was deported from Slovakia. Having no other shelter they risk to be attacked in one of the most “highly protected” areas of Athens. It is the emblem of the victorious “cleaning ups and evacuations” that racist committees of residents together with fascist groups have started against the refugees; a square constantly patrolled by different groups of residents.
Back to the park: Reza, a 14 year old boy, was registered in Evros as 18 years old. He has severe health problems with his eye. Yesterday he was arrested by the police while hanging around at Victoria Park. He had a packet of tablets for his eye in his pocket that “the church” had given to him because of which the police accused him for carrying drugs. They put him inside the car for detainees for some hours and then released him because he was evidently underage. “They put me handcuffs,” he says laughing and showing the marks on his hands. It is not the first time that he was arrested. He stayed in prison at the Evros borders four days. For him as for the others these experiences turn more and more into mere banalities.
Another Afghan boy is passing by. Together with his family they are staying in one of the reception centres for refugees in Athens. They have the exceptional right to stay there for one month as they don’t have fulfilled the precondition of claiming asylum in Greece and then getting the so-called Red Card for asylum seekers. It is an unwritten law in Greece that refugees only find housing opportunities when they apply for asylum and when they belong to specific extra-vulnerable groups such as unaccompanied minors, single mother families etc. “We want to leave Greece, they give no asylum here,” says the youngster. Another anecdote of the disastrous “Greece of refugees” is the topic of a new announcement made by the Athens Bar Association at the 14th of October. They are protesting against the closure of the Attica Aliens Police department and the (repeated) resulting suspension of foreigners’ claims for international protection:
Under the pretext of waiting for the new Transitional Presidential Decree for Asylum, whose entry into force is been delayed, the Attica Aliens Department of Police is illegally keeping the asylum service “closed”. That way claims for international protection cannot practically be lodged circumventing subsequently international treaties…The young boys’ mother has serious health problem. She is diabetic. During the last days she had a series of a crises and the doctors after treating her in the emergency room sent her to one of the hospitals of Athens for further treatment. “They did nothing there,” R says. “They just gave her injections, but no further treatment, no exams, no papers that show what she has and no prescription for insulin. My mother needs to take insulin every day. Without a prescription she cannot take the appropriate dosage.” Apart from his mums’ health condition the young boy also worries all the time about the other homeless families. “You know, one room in the guest house that we are living is now empty; probably one of the families could come there?”
It is about 12 o’clock at the Attica Square, a little further from the park and the patrols go on. At the bottom of the square some policemen are controlling the papers of two immigrants. The square is empty; the fascist residents are sitting around the square fulfilling their self-proclaimed “duty”. At that time of the day the “square keepers” are mostly pensioners, men and women that found their personal meaning of life in chasing the refugees out of “their” square; fighting for the “cleanness” of “their neighbourhood” and “their nation”!
Unexpectedly a “new guy” – a refugee is walking thoughtlessly through the middle of the square when suddenly one of the female “square keepers” springs up, starts whistling, approaches him and while pushing him out of the square she is screaming in Greek: “Not here. Out, get out of here! Get the hell out of here!”
Two days later, between 19.30 and 3 o’clock in the morning. A group of the so called “indigenous” citizens attacks a mini market near the Attica Square, which belongs to a Bangladeshi immigrant:
“During the attack the Imam of the region together with another immigrant were injured. The conflict became widespread and as a result many were those injured; immigrants and Greeks. Immigrants on their attempt to escape the rage of the “citizens” found refuge in the nearby underground mosque that had been burned a half a year ago; when one policeman tried to tear the Koran that an immigrant was carrying. The “Indignant” residents blocked the entrance to the mosque and they afterwards started breaking the outer glass of the windows by throwing sticks and stones. 5 of the immigrants hidden inside the mosque have been injured. The people inside the mosque had to go out therefore and defend themselves with whatever found in the trash. When police arrived immigrants returned to the mosque, where they remained trapped for more than 1.5 hours. The “indignant” residents remained at the entrance of the mosque, shouting abusive slogans against immigrants and asking from the police to evict them. This was followed by conflicts at the nearby Attica square, where about 80 people were beating immigrants that were passing by,
Frontex has granted the request of the Greek government for the deployment of the Rapid Border Intervention Teams in the Evros border.
From their press release (25th of October 2010):
From their press release (25th of October 2010):
“The situation in Greece is very serious. Acting on the basis of the Regulation 863/2007 of the European Parliament and of the Council, I have decided that Frontex will provide assistance to the Greek border authorities by deploying adequate number and composition of Rapid Border Intervention Teams. Once deployed they will be operating under the command and control of the Greek authorities” stated Frontex Executive Director Ilkka Laitinen.There is a second press release of 26th October 2010:
“A team of Frontex staff is on its way to the Greek/Turkish land border to assess the situation in view of Minister Papoutsis’ request. We will decide how many officers and what kind of technical means will be needed to effectively assist the Greek authorities in strengthening this external EU border and act swiftly to provide the assistance that this Member State has requested. We will take immediate action of reorganising experts and assets being present in the area within the framework of Poseidon Joint Operation coordinated by Frontex” – he added.
Staff from the newly-opened Frontex Operational Office based in Piraeus have already arrived at the Greek-Turkish border to make an initial assessment of requirements. Frontex has contacted all Member States and Schengen Associate Countries to check the availability of the officers and is waiting for reply.
Frontex has also today sent an additional group of operational and analytical experts from its Warsaw HQ to Greece in order to begin development of an operational plan. The operational plan includes a detailed risk analysis, as well as defining the number and expertise of the officers to be deployed, length of the operation, and the type and amount of technical equipment necessary cover operational needs.
The deployment of European border guard forces at the Greek-Turkish border increases the danger of readmitting refugees to Turkey and from there to their country of origin, where they are put at risk of facing human rights violations. The European Union should meet its obligations and ensure refugees’ protection and well-being.Greece requested the European Union to send armed so called Frontex Rapid Border Intervention Teams (RABITs) to the Greek-Turkish border. This became public on Monday the 25th of October 2010.
Greek government statistics state that irregular migration has been increasing in the Evros-Region where the land broder to Turkey stretches over 12 km. According to the Greek Minister of Citizens’ Protection Christos Papoutsis only during the first October weekend of this year 1,400 refugees have been intercepted in that region.
Continue reading ‘Frontex Rapid Border Intervention Teams to patrol the Evros border’
This update dates back to 14th of October 2010.
It is around 9.30 in the morning, outside the basketball court newcomers are lying on the benches; one more family with three children, two of them small babies.
Continue reading ‘Update on the Jungle of Athens’
It is around 9.30 in the morning, outside the basketball court newcomers are lying on the benches; one more family with three children, two of them small babies.
They just arrived this morning, they look for a place to stay… for a room…
We were walking around the whole night, we couldn’t sleep because of the rain… some of the babies with their mothers went to sleep near the church of Ag. Panteleimonas,says a young Afghan men who was deported from Slovakia. Having no other shelter they risk to be attacked in one of the most “highly protected” areas of Athens. It is the emblem of the victorious “cleaning ups and evacuations” that racist committees of residents together with fascist groups have started against the refugees; a square constantly patrolled by different groups of residents.
Continue reading ‘Update on the Jungle of Athens’
Hungary imprisons minors after Dublin II deportation
Interview with Ahmad (17) in Zalaergerszeg detention prisonThe following interview was taken under difficult circumstances, on the phone of the prison. We had never seen each other before – it was a friend of a friend who brought us in contact. ahmad was not in a good mood – but he said that he wants to give testimony what happens in Hungary to the deported. He hopes that maybe, if the authorities knew what happens, they might stop the Dublin-system. He says:
For me it’s to late now, but maybe all the others, they should not experience the same!
Zalaergerszeg, 13th Oktober 2010 -
There are two conclusions:
- In Hungary the current policy is to detain refugees in general and for longer periods of time. Even if they apply for asylum they will be often detained until the first decision. And also all those, who get deported from other European countries, get imprisoned for often until the limit of six months. Hungary built 11 new detention facilities in the last months.
- In Zalaergerszeg there are obviously at least three minors imprisoned for a longer time, who have been deported to Hungary according to DublinII. We fear that these are not single cases and that in the other detention facilities you might also find minors.
- Hello ahmad, can we speak in english?
Hello, ya sure. My name is ahmad ahmad
Can you tell me where you are?
Ya, I’m in the Zalaegerszeg in the prison.
Why are you in prison?
I got deported from Finland, that’s why I am here now. It became something like 3 months and 20 days that I am in Hungary and all the time I am in prison. I am 17, I am born on 20th April 1993. When I arrived in Budapest after deportation, the Hungarian authorities told me I have to apply for asylum. They brought me for one month to deport-center in Budapest. When I arrived in Budapest I met a lawyer from Helsinki Committee. He told me he will help me to get out of prison. After one month I got interview and now I am waiting for answer, maybe I will get it in a few days. After the interview they transfered me here, to the prison in Zalaegerszeg near to the Slovenian border. Since 2 months and 20 days I am here. When I called Helsinki Committee again, they told me, I have to wait for the answer from migration board. And if I get positive I would be free from prison and if negative I should stay six months in the prison. I have two other friends here in prison, they are also minors. One of them, Farhad, he was also deported from Finland. And the other is Gul Agha, he got deported from England.
How is the situation in the prison and how are you there?
(He sounds really angry now.) May I know that who are you to ask this question? I ask you because everyone like you came to me and asked me questions and asked about my problems. But unfortunatly everyone just came and gave me hope, they didn’t do anything an now I don’t trust anybody.
Yes, I see you are angry and you are right to be angry, it’s a terrible situation! Okay, I will explain who I am. I’m part of a network called Welcome to Europe. We are in contact with a lot of people who have problems with Dublin-deportation. We want to stop this agreement. We don’t want somebody to get deported from any European country. That’s why we collect the stories and that’s why I am asking you. Your story is special because the Hungarian authorities say they don’t put the minors in prison. I can’t promise you much, I can just promise that we will publish your story and we will try to put pressure on the European governments to stop the deportations. But we are just ordinary people and we do not have the power. But what is happening to you, that they keep you in prison as a minor it is illegal.
Okay, now I understood and I can answer.
I know that it’s against the law. But it’s also Hungarian law that everybody who enter illegal in the country or who got deported from other countries, they have to live in prison for six months. Everybody knows this!
Now I want to tell you something about my situation. When I have been in Finland I have studied in school, I learned the finish language, what is really hard and I wanted to go later to unversity. Instead of university, I am now in prison. When they decided to deported me the Finish Migration Board made my life like hell. I start to forget everything, that I learned. Now what should I do with finish language here?
All the day we are kept inside the prison, I cannot even go out.
Later when I am out of the prison, I can answer you what is the situation here. Now we are talking on the phone of the prison and I cannot answer.
Thank you, ahmad and take care!
You are welcome, bye.
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