Amnesty International launched a petition to be sent to Minister of Migration and Asylum Notis Mitarachi with the slogan ‘Stop pushing back, say ‘no’ to impunity! Take action now!’
Amnesty International is organising a petition to be delivered to Minister of Migration and Asylum Notis Mitarachi, saying that pushing back migrants in Greece has become Greece’s de facto border policy.
In a report titled ‘Greece: Violence, Lies and Pushbacks’ published on 23 June 2021, Amnesty International documented the mistreatment and pushback of migrants, stating that pushing back migrants has become Greece’s de facto border policy.
Amnesty has criticised the making of this method of border control based on land and sea borders of Greece, saying that incidents involving the threat or use of violence, sometimes resulting in torture, inhuman or degrading treatment, arbitrary arrest and detention, are continuous and systematic.
With its petition calling on Minister of Migration and Asylum Notis Mitarachi to ensure an immediate end to all pushbacks at land and sea borders, conduct direct, independent, impartial and effective investigations into allegations of illegal forced pushbacks, violence and arbitrary detention, and provide victims who are pushed back with access to effective solutions, as well as reporting rights violations at the border, Amnesty International says ‘Stop pushing back, say ‘no’ to impunity! Take action now!’
The content of the letter which was directly sent to the e-mail address of Minister of Migration and Asylum Notis Mitarachi is as follows:
‘Dear Minister,
I am writing to express my serious concern about the systematic pushback and other human rights abuses that Greece is pursuing, with an action now almost at the size of establishing a de facto border control policy.
In 2020, migrants and refugees who often travel with children continue to be subjected to serious violence, arbitrary arrests and detentions at the Greek border, as well as other abuses, and are ultimately pushed back to Turkey without the possibility of hearing calls for help.
Greece can no longer deny this fact. I call on you to stop pushing back at the Greek border so that they do not happen again in the future. Greece must protect people on its borders in line with its national and international human rights obligations.
The prevailing culture of impunity is the main driving force of these violations. You can change this by ensuring that complaints are thoroughly investigated, that people in Greece have access to safeguarding procedures, and that border control operations are carried out in accordance with human rights legislation’.
Please click here for more information regarding the petition started by Amnesty International and to support the campaign: https://www.amnesty.gr/action/petitions/24482/ellada-vale-telos-stis-epanaproothiseis
