Joint Statement on push backs practises in Greece
The undersigned civil society organisations would like to share their concerns regarding the phenomenon of illegal refoulements at the Greek-Turkish borders. A phenomenon which is ever-present and yet qualitatively and quantitatively on the rise the last few years and in particular the recent period since March 2020, which should also be read within the framework of the more restrictive policies applied on the EU level. Pushbacks constitute a direct violation of the Greek, regional and international law regarding the minimum safeguards that a person willing to apply for international protection should enjoy. Yet, this illegal practice has become a central element of the Greek government’s migration policy, introducing a permanent anomaly in the legal system, violating the core of basic human rights and endangering the victims’ life and health.