The Council of Europe has been very critical of Greece's treatment of migrants. Conditions in some deportation centers are miserable. Athens speaks of “international standards” but also announces changes.
Experts from the Council of Europe are once again calling on Greece to change the way it treats migrants. The country must improve conditions in refugee accommodation, according to a report by the Strasbourg-based anti-torture committee.
In addition, so-called pushbacks – the illegal rejection of people seeking protection at the external borders – must be stopped. According to the committee, such pushbacks to Turkey are still taking place, including against unaccompanied children.
Miserable conditions and poor hygiene
According to the report, some of the deportation centers have poor conditions, poor hygiene and are infested with cockroaches and bedbugs. As a result, an open tuberculosis infection has spread in one of the centers.
According to the report, the registration camps on the Aegean islands, which are financed by the EU, are also partly “inhumane and degrading”. In some of them, up to eight people are housed in ten square metres.
The Anti-Torture Committee also criticizes the “excessive security measures and unnecessary barbed wire fences” around these centers, which are particularly unsuitable for children and people in need.
The published report of the Council of Europe's Anti-Torture Committee is based on a visit in November 2023. The facilities on the Aegean islands of Kos, Lesbos and Samos, which were financed with EU funds, are specifically mentioned.
Greece must ensure that all those affected are treated with dignity and humanity. During its visit, the committee said it had received credible information that migrants had been physically abused by the police and coast guard.
They also said they had experienced racist insults. They also criticised the fact that some people were detained for up to 18 months.
Greece: Everything corresponds “international Standards”
The Greek authorities said in a statement that the conditions in the centers correspond to “international standards”. Extensive renovation work is planned. Reception capacities are also to be increased and medical care in the centers with controlled access is to be expanded. The authorities denied allegations of illegal pushbacks – all officials acted in full compliance with their international obligations.
The Council of Europe had already criticized the detention conditions for migrants in Greece in 2020. The country is one of the main destinations for refugees and migrants seeking to enter the EU. The Council of Europe, based in Strasbourg, France, is jointly responsible for upholding human rights in the 46 member states, together with its Court of Justice.
