No Refuge: Migrants in Greece

Athens was selected to be the host, in early November, of the Third Global Forum on Migration
and Development, with scores of delegates discussing global migration-related topics.
Meanwhile, the host country’s already-abysmal treatment of undocumented migrants is getting
worse, with:

The forced, secret expulsions across the Evros River that expanded in the summer of
2009 to include irregular migrants apprehended not only in the border region but also in
the cities and islands;
The harsh and demeaning conditions in which detained migrants are often held;
The alarmingly inadequate attention and care for unaccompanied migrant children; and
A broken asylum system that grants protection to only 0.05 percent of applicants
at initial hearings, and changes to the national asylum law in July that eliminated
meaningful appeals.
All in all, Greece has failed to live up to its international legal obligations to migrants
and refugees. While the newly elected administration has made some encouraging
announcements, such as the release of 1,200 undocumented migrants from detention and
a review of Coast Guard and police force practices, there remain serious concerns about
whether the host of the Third Global Forum on Migration and Development respects the basic
rights of migrants.

CONTENTS
07 SECRET EXPULSIONS AT THE BORDER
Greece is often the first country on the way to Europe for migrants arriving from
Africa, the Middle East, and South Asia.
© 2009 Fruitmachine


There is a video, too! You can watch that and get the gist of what is happening if you happened to miss my lovely presentation.

http://www.hrw.org/en/video/2009/10/09/no-refuge-migrants-greece

enjoy.