NGOs deplore that Greek government defies court on asylum seekers
By Dan
Alexe, New Europe, April 25, 2018
The Greek
government’s move on April 20, 2018, overturning a binding court ruling
ordering it to end its abusive policy of trapping asylum seekers on Greece’s
islands raises rule of law concerns, 21 human rights and humanitarian
organizations said today.
government’s move on April 20, 2018, overturning a binding court ruling
ordering it to end its abusive policy of trapping asylum seekers on Greece’s
islands raises rule of law concerns, 21 human rights and humanitarian
organizations said today.
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| Migrant children dwell at the beachfront at a makeshift camp site on the Greek island of Kos, Greece. EPA/ODYSSEUS |
Nearly
three years after the migrant crisis flooded the Mediterranean countries on the
EU’s southern flank with hundreds of thousands of mostly Middle Eastern and
African refugees, a top Greek court ruled on April 17 that the
migrants who have been stranded on several Greek islands should no longer be
held there while asylum claims are assessed and must be allowed into
mainland Greece.
three years after the migrant crisis flooded the Mediterranean countries on the
EU’s southern flank with hundreds of thousands of mostly Middle Eastern and
African refugees, a top Greek court ruled on April 17 that the
migrants who have been stranded on several Greek islands should no longer be
held there while asylum claims are assessed and must be allowed into
mainland Greece.
Greece’s
highest court overturned the Greek Asylum Service’s decision to impose
geographical restrictions on asylum-seekers arriving on the Greek islands of
Lesvos, Rhodes, Samos, Kos, Leros, and Chios -a move that has alarmed the
European Union institutions in Brussels, with one EU official describing the
ruling as a “major concern”.
highest court overturned the Greek Asylum Service’s decision to impose
geographical restrictions on asylum-seekers arriving on the Greek islands of
Lesvos, Rhodes, Samos, Kos, Leros, and Chios -a move that has alarmed the
European Union institutions in Brussels, with one EU official describing the
ruling as a “major concern”.
Nevertheless,
rather than carrying out the April 17 ruling by the Council of State, the
country’s highest administrative court, the government issued an administrative
decision reinstating the policy, known as the “containment policy.” It also
introduced a bill on April 19 to clear the way to restore the policy in Greek
law. Parliament members should oppose such changes and press the government to
respect the ruling.
rather than carrying out the April 17 ruling by the Council of State, the
country’s highest administrative court, the government issued an administrative
decision reinstating the policy, known as the “containment policy.” It also
introduced a bill on April 19 to clear the way to restore the policy in Greek
law. Parliament members should oppose such changes and press the government to
respect the ruling.
The
organisation Human Rights Watch writes today:
organisation Human Rights Watch writes today:
Greece’s
abusive containment policy was put in place in March 2016, with the support of
the European Union and its member states. By the latest government count, more
than 15,400 asylum seekers are on the Greek islands. Many are living in
crowded and filthy processing centers, and many spent the winter in
lightweight tents or even sleeping outside on the ground. The Greek government
contends that the containment policy is necessary to carry out its commitment
under the March 2016
EU-Turkey migration deal, under which asylum seekers must be
returned to Turkey to have their asylum claims processed there, although the
text makes no reference to such a policy.
abusive containment policy was put in place in March 2016, with the support of
the European Union and its member states. By the latest government count, more
than 15,400 asylum seekers are on the Greek islands. Many are living in
crowded and filthy processing centers, and many spent the winter in
lightweight tents or even sleeping outside on the ground. The Greek government
contends that the containment policy is necessary to carry out its commitment
under the March 2016
EU-Turkey migration deal, under which asylum seekers must be
returned to Turkey to have their asylum claims processed there, although the
text makes no reference to such a policy.
The case
was brought before the Council of State by the Greek Council for Refugees, a
non-governmental organization providing legal support to asylum seekers.
Nongovernmental groups began a
campaign to #OpenTheIslands in December 2017, calling on Greece and
its EU partners to transfer asylum seekers to the mainland before winter and
end the containment policy.
was brought before the Council of State by the Greek Council for Refugees, a
non-governmental organization providing legal support to asylum seekers.
Nongovernmental groups began a
campaign to #OpenTheIslands in December 2017, calling on Greece and
its EU partners to transfer asylum seekers to the mainland before winter and
end the containment policy.
In
seeking to justify the containment policy, the Greek government, EU
institutions, and governments point to increasing numbers of migrants and
asylum seekers crossing the Aegean Sea, some fleeing intensified conflict in
Syria. Yet there is no evidence that lifting the containment policy would be a
pull factor, as Greece and others claim, especially given the largely closed
borders along the Western Balkan migration route into Western Europe.
seeking to justify the containment policy, the Greek government, EU
institutions, and governments point to increasing numbers of migrants and
asylum seekers crossing the Aegean Sea, some fleeing intensified conflict in
Syria. Yet there is no evidence that lifting the containment policy would be a
pull factor, as Greece and others claim, especially given the largely closed
borders along the Western Balkan migration route into Western Europe.
Parliament
began discussing the draft law on April 24. But the government has preempted
the debate on the bill, including the issue of the containment policy by
reinstating it. On April 20, the new director of the asylum service reissued an
administrative order setting down the reasons for the containment policy. Among
grounds given to justify the restrictions imposed by the policy are the need to
implement an EU-Turkey deal on migration and a broader public interest claim.
But the decision goes against the Council of State ruling and Greece’s
responsibilities under international, EU and Greek law, as it offers
insufficient justification for the restrictions, the groups said.The Council of
State’s April 17 ruling said that Greece’s containment policy had no legal
basis and that there were no imperative reasons under EU and Greek law
justifying the restrictions to the freedom of movement of asylum seekers. It
ordered the annulment of the administrative decision imposing the restrictions
and permitted the free movement of asylum seekers arriving on the islands
following the ruling’s publication. The ruling also highlighted that the
disproportionate distribution of asylum seekers has overburdened the islands.
The ruling is limited, however, applying only to new arrivals.
began discussing the draft law on April 24. But the government has preempted
the debate on the bill, including the issue of the containment policy by
reinstating it. On April 20, the new director of the asylum service reissued an
administrative order setting down the reasons for the containment policy. Among
grounds given to justify the restrictions imposed by the policy are the need to
implement an EU-Turkey deal on migration and a broader public interest claim.
But the decision goes against the Council of State ruling and Greece’s
responsibilities under international, EU and Greek law, as it offers
insufficient justification for the restrictions, the groups said.The Council of
State’s April 17 ruling said that Greece’s containment policy had no legal
basis and that there were no imperative reasons under EU and Greek law
justifying the restrictions to the freedom of movement of asylum seekers. It
ordered the annulment of the administrative decision imposing the restrictions
and permitted the free movement of asylum seekers arriving on the islands
following the ruling’s publication. The ruling also highlighted that the
disproportionate distribution of asylum seekers has overburdened the islands.
The ruling is limited, however, applying only to new arrivals.
