Authors: Marion Bouchetel, Evelien van Roemburg & Spyros-Vlad Oikonomou | oxfam.org | 6 December 2019
People who have fled war, violence and persecution need support to find safety and rebuild their lives. However, in the EU 'hotspots' in Greece, people are faced with an asylum process which is extremely complicated to navigate. Only 2 in 100 have access to a state-appointed lawyer.
In addition, most people cannot access the basic information needed to help them understand the asylum process, resulting in an unfair, ineffective, and often erroneous asylum system that frequently violates the rights of people in need of international protection.In this context, legal support and information are key.
However, the new law introduced by the Greek Government, and the announcements that they will replace the ‘hotspot’ camps with ‘closed centres’, could further undermine the rights of asylum seekers and create additional barriers to getting the crucial information and legal assistance they need.