E.U.-Turkey Statement

Based on its own documentation and reporting, the Legal Centre Lesvos demonstrates in a recent submission to the UN Special Rapporteur on Torture that the illegal practice of systematic pushbacks in the Aegean region amount to torture, both under international and Greek law.

In view of the mandatory reassessment by Greece of the designation of Türkiye as a “safe third country” in November, 15 civil society organisations have written to the Greek Asylum Service, the Ministers of Migration and Asylum and of Foreign Affairs, and the European Commission urging them to:

Immediately repeal the national list of safe third countries set out by JMD 42799/2021, as amended by JMD 458568/2021.

Publish previous and upcoming opinions of the Director of the Asylum Service regarding the designation of safe third countries, which should be made available to asylum seekers subject to the application of the list according to the European Commission.

Stop dismissing asylum applications as inadmissible based on the “safe third country” concept.

Equal Rights Beyond Borders together with HIAS Greece and Refugee Support Aegean and commissioned by the Danish Refugee Council published an analysis on Border Procedures on the Greek Islands.
Τhe report examines the workings of border procedures implemented on the Greek islands over the past year (June 2021 – June 2022), revealing new concerns tied to poor quality of asylum procedures and to breaches of fundamental rights.

The new issue of the Greek Asylum Case Law Report released today provides excerpts from 79 decisions issued in the first half of 2022 by Administrative Courts, the Independent Appeals Committees and the Asylum Service.

Moria was the largest refugee camp in Europe, located on the Greek border island of Lesvos. It occupied a central position in the global media and in popular and academic discussions on migration. The camp was completely destroyed by fire in September 2020. In this portfolio of short responses, we have gathered around the ashes of Moria to take stock of what we know and feel about the place in order to conjure up the thoughts and plan the writings to come.