Pushbacks

As the movement of people across the Mediterranean has become securitised, Frontex has come to the fore—not to good effect. The shipwreck near Pylos last June, one of the greatest modern tragedies in Greek waters, claimed more than 600 lives. In its wake, criticism…

Before last May’s election in Greece, the returning prime minister claimed his ‘firm but fair’ policy on people movement worked. Far from it. Samos, a mile from the Turkish coastline, has become known as one of the five ‘hotspots’ in…

The Mediterranean route between Libya and Italy has been described as the “world’s most dangerous maritime crossing”. This was proven once again last week in the tragic shipwreck of a boat full of men, women and children, around 50 miles…

A classified report by EU anti-fraud office Olaf has accused Frontex, the EU border agency, of covering up human rights violations in Greece. The report was made public by German media. It comes after a months-long investigation into allegations that Greek border officials…

Seven civil society organizations from Samos island brief MEPs, ahead of LIBE Committee meeting on October 10th. Frontex is not using its internal monitoring and reporting mechanism to investigate potential violations of fundamental rights or international protection obligations: this is…

Asylum seekers travelling to Europe via irregular migration routes often rely on assistance from lawyers, NGOs, and volunteers following their arrival. Drawing on research conducted in Greece, Gemma Bird details the risks that these individuals and organisations take in their efforts to…

 Greek security forces are employing third country nationals, men who appear to be of Middle Eastern or South Asian origin, to push asylum seekers back at the Greece-Turkey land border, Human Rights Watch said in a report released today. The…

Following direct testimony by Cornelia Ernst, Member of the European Parliament, about a pushback underway in Samos, Notis Mitarachi makes a denial and announces investigations by the authorities of Dimitris Choulis, a human rights lawyer and a consultant for Still…

Border Patrol Agency has a Duty to Protect Human Rights Eva Cossé Mounting evidence suggests the Greek government has been secretly expelling thousands of migrants trying to reach its shores. An EUObserver article published on November 18 also suggests the…

Halt Abusive Operations; Justice Needed Croatia should immediately stop summarily returning migrants and asylum seekers to Bosnia and Herzegovina, in some cases with force, Human Rights Watch said today in an open letter to President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic. The president’s recent admission during…