Observatory News Bulletin: Push backs against displaced people in the Aegean sea.

The Observatory of the Refugee and Migration Crisis in the Aegean presents a collection of articles from Greek (local, national) and international press as well as announcements and press releases from humanitarian actors concerning Greece’s recent allegations of push backs against displaced people in the Aegean sea.

The collection includes the following sections:

1) Introductory text of the Observatory.

2) Articles from Greek (local and national) press

3) Articles from international press

4) Announcements and press releases from humanitarian actors

1) INTRODUCTORY TEXT OF THE OBSERVATORY:

Although the Greek government officially denies taking part in pushbacks, several published reports and press coverage insist that the “front-line” tool of the Greek migration policy follows illegal refoulements in order tocease the arrivals of displaced people and to detere others from attempting to cross the borders. The persisting practice of pushbacks has been systematically reported inter alia by UNHCR, the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, the UN Committee against Torture, the Greek National Commission on Human Rights, several NGOs and civil society organisations. The Greek government has been criticized at a European level also for what is seen as having taken a step back with regard to granting access to human rights to people on the move.

More specifically in May 2021, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Dunja Mijatović, in a letter addressed to the Minister for Citizens’ Protection, the Minister of Migration and Asylum, and the Minister of Shipping and Island Policy of Greece, urged the Greek authorities to put an end to pushback operations at both the land and sea borders with Turkey, and to ensure that independent and effective investigations are carried out into all allegations of pushbacks and of ill-treatment by members of security forces in the context of such operations. Commissioner Mijatovic underlined that “the way in which these operations are reportedly carried out would clearly be incompatible with Greece’s human rights obligations and with Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights and the refoulement prohibition in the UN Refugee Convention”.

In September 2021, the European Commission, concerned about the reports and allegations of pushbacks and mistreatment in Greece, reiterated its demand for a rights’ monitoring mechanism as a precondition for the release of migration management funding for Greece. Meanwhile, Commissioner Mijatovic, condemned the Greek bill that foresaw the speed up deportations and returns of migrants, and hinders the invaluable-life saving actions of NGOs participating in search-and-rescue operations at sea.

However, the Minister for Migration and Asylum Notis Mitarakis rejected the need for a human rights’monitoring mechanism at the Greek borders, stating that it would infringe upon national sovereignty.

Following repeated demands, in October 2021, the European Commissioner for Home Affairs, Ylva Johanssonurged Greece to launch an investigation into reports about illegal migrant pushbacks. Ylva Johansson noted that “We have to protect our external borders, but we also have to protect our values, the rule of law and fundamental rights. And this is absolutely possible to do together. Violence at our borders is never acceptable. Especially if it is structural and organised…I have made clear that I will not accept that Greece do not do investigations on this,” she added.

Finally, Minister Mitarakis was forced to submit a request to the National Transparency Authority to investigate the recent allegations for illegal pushbacks that came to light, but still does not support to the creation of an independent mechanism including representatives of independent bodies or organisations.

2. ARTICLES FROM GREEK (LOCAL AND NATIONAL) PRESS

Ονειρο... απατηλό ο μηχανισμός διερεύνησης επαναπροωθήσεων | efsyn.gr | 14 Δεκεμβρίου 2021

«Μίλησα με Γεραπετρίτη, θα γίνει ο ανεξάρτητος μηχανισμός επιτήρησης συνόρων» | efsyn.gr | 8 Δεκεμβρίου 2021

Επαναπροωθήσεις: Με ποιους (οφείλουν να) είναι τα ΜΜΕ; | tvxs.gr | 15 Νοεμβρίου 2021
Στο προσκήνιο νέα «εξαφάνιση» 17 προσφύγων και μεταναστών από τη Χίο | astraparis.gr |15 Νοεμβρίου 2021

Φόβοι για απόπειρα επαναπροώθησης 71 προσφύγων στην Πελοπόννησο | efsyn.gr | 14 Νοεμβρίου 2021

«Δεν θα δεχτώ μέσα σε αυτό το γραφείο να προσβάλετε εμένα ή τον ελληνικό λαό» – Επεισόδιο με ξένη δημοσιογράφο | in.gr | 10 Νοεμβρίου 2021

Μητσοτάκης: Σκληρή αλλά πολύ δίκαιη η πολιτική μας στο μεταναστευτικό – Δεν επιτρέπω σε κανέναν να κουνάει το δάκτυλο σε αυτή την κυβέρνηση | tovima.gr | 9 Νοεμβρίου 2021

Νέα «εξαφάνιση» προσφύγων από την άφιξη στο Μερσινίδι – Τα push back εξαγριώνουν ευρωβουλευτές (βίντεο) | astraparis.gr | 8 Νοεμβρίου 2021

Κύριε υπουργέ, θα μας πείτε πού είναι οι 19 πρόσφυγες; | efsyn.gr | 5 Νοεμβρίου 2021

Δώδεκα πρόσφυγες στην Λευκωνιά από τους 30 που βγήκαν στο Μερσινίδι | astraparis.gr | 5 Νοεμβρίου 2021

Με τον δικηγόρο που αποκαλύπτει τα push backs στο Αιγαίο, Δημήτρη Χούλη, η Εναλλακτική Παρέμβαση | thepressproject.gr | 5 Νοεμβρίου 2021

Guardian: Το μεγαλύτερο pushback των τελευταίων ετών στην Ελλάδα - Απάντηση Μηταράκη σε koutipandoras και Documento | koutipandoras.gr | 5 Νοεμβρίου 2021