Migrants and the Mediterranean, last stop: Greece UN expert to conclude study on EU external borders

GENEVA / ATHENS (21 November 2012) – The United Nations Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, François Crépeau, will visit Greece from 25 November to 3 December as part of his yearlong study on the management of the external borders of the European Union, which has already taken him to Brussels, Tunisia, Turkey and Italy earlier this year.

“Given its strategic position in the Mediterranean, sharing both a land- and sea border with Turkey, Greece has become a key point of entry for many migrants seeking to reach the European Union,” Mr. Crépeau said.

During his nine-day mission to Greece, the human rights expert will meet with a range of government officials responsible for border control and migration, the EU’s representation in Greece, international organisations, NGOs, and migrants themselves, to discuss the complex management of the Greek border. The UN Human Rights Council’s envoy will also visit a number of migrant detention centers.

Mr. Crépeau’s visit to Greece is the fifth and final stage in his study on the management of the EU external borders. He visited Brussels in May, Tunisia and Turkey in June, and Italy in October.

At the end of the mission, the UN Special Rapporteur will share his preliminary conclusions at a press conference on 3 December 2012 at 14.00, at Divani Palace Acropolis, 19-25 Parthenonos.

The study, launched by the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, will result in a special report which will be presented to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2013.

François Crépeau (Canada) was appointed Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants in June 2011 by the UN Human Rights Council, for an initial period of three years. As Special Rapporteur, he is independent from any government or organization and serves in his individual capacity. Mr. Crépeau is also Full Professor at the Faculty of Law of McGill University, in Montréal, where he holds the Hans and Tamar Oppenheimer Chair in Public International Law. Learn more, log on to: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/issues/migration/rapporteur/index.htm

Check the Address by the Special Rapporteur to the UN General Assembly (25 October 2012): http://www.ohchr.org/EN/NewsEvents/Pages/DisplayNews.aspx?NewsID=12714&LangID=E

Read the International Convention for the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families: http://www2.ohchr.org/english/law/cmw.htm

For more information and media requests, please contact:
Dimitri Fatouros (+32 2 788 84 68 / greece@unric.org)
Christel Mobech (+41 79 752 04 83 / cmobech@ohchr.org) or write to migrant@ohchr.org

For media inquiries related to other UN independent experts:
Xabier Celaya, UN Human Rights – Media Unit (+ 41 22 917 9383 / xcelaya@ohchr.org)

UN Human Rights, follow us on social media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/unitednationshumanrights
Twitter: http://twitter.com/UNrightswire
Google+ gplus.to/unitednationshumanrights
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/UNOHCHR
Storify: http://storify.com/UNrightswire

Check the Universal Human Rights Index: http://uhri.ohchr.org/en