The Council of Europe’s Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT) has issued a stern warning to Greece, urging the nation to improve the detention conditions for irregular migrants and cease the practice of pushing them back to Turkey.
During their visit to Greece from 23 November to 1 December 2023, the Committee’s report highlighted the necessity for Greek authorities to significantly enhance the conditions in detention centres, particularly those newly funded by the European Union (EU) on the Aegean islands. The report noted that many migrants are held in these centres for periods far exceeding the legally mandated duration, often in squalid conditions lacking basic amenities such as electricity and heating. The CPT emphasised that Greek authorities must provide migrants with conditions that uphold their human dignity.
In addition to the poor detention conditions, the report shed light on credible and consistent allegations of deliberate physical violence against irregular migrants in some police stations in Athens before their deportation. The CPT urged Greek authorities to take more robust measures to eliminate ill-treatment of migrants.
Specifically, the report pointed out severe shortcomings at the Corinth detention centre, where migrants are subjected to inadequate accommodation and hygiene standards for up to 18 months. This prolonged detention under such conditions has led to a spread of tuberculosis among the detainees. The CPT stressed that immediate action is necessary to address these grave health and safety issues.
Moreover, the CPT report provided ample evidence of Greece’s ongoing practice of pushing irregular migrants back across the Evros River border into Turkey. These actions are described as dangerous, illegal, and often violent. The Committee called on Greece to halt these pushbacks, both by land and sea, to comply with international human rights standards.
The CPT also highlighted the issue of detaining migrant children at the Athens Airport Special Detention Facility. The Committee urged the Greek authorities to stop this practice immediately, stressing the adverse psychological and physical impacts on the children involved.
