Greece: “Europe’s lack of political will creating serious suffering for thousands of migrants in Greece” – UN rights expert

ATHENS / GENEVA (17 May 2016) – “The suffering of migrants in Greece is the result of a complete absence of long-term vision and the clear lack of political will of the European Union,” United Nations human rights expert François Crépeau said at the end of a follow-up mission* to Greece.

“This is not only a humanitarian crisis,” the UN Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants warned. “This is more importantly a political crisis in which the EU and the overwhelming majority of EU member states have abandoned Greece – a country that is fighting to implement austerity measures – leaving it to deal with an issue that requires efforts from all.”

Mr. Crépeau stressed that the closure of the borders surrounding Greece, coupled with the new EU-Turkey agreement, have exponentially increased the number of irregular migrants in the country. “Unlike before, Greece is no longer a transit country and is struggling to ‘catch up’ and develop a mechanism to deal with immediate needs, in the absence of a clear commitment from the EU to support the country,” he said.

The independent expert expressed particular concern with conditions in the Reception and Identification Centres (RIC or ‘hotspots’), which have become closed centres as a result of the EU-Turkey deal, and “are creating an unacceptable level of confusion, frustration, violence and fear.”

He noted, among other worrying issues, the length of process to identify vulnerable migrants, the blatant over-crowding that is amplifying inter-communal friction, the mix of families and young single males, the absence of many Government services during the weekend, the contradictory information received regarding procedures and timelines, as well as insufficient procedural safeguards in detention facilities for migrants.

“I visited Idomeni and the closed detention sites of Lesbos and Samos and saw many children with their parents and also unaccompanied children. The difference between those in open camps and those in detention is striking. It is unacceptable for children to be detained,” the Special Rapporteur said, stressing that “detention can never ever be in the best interests of a child.”

The rights expert welcomed official proposals to develop a more structured system of guardianship for unaccompanied children and called on the Greek Government “to develop alternatives to detention in the form of open shelters for families and unaccompanied minors as a matter of urgent priority.”

“The large number of irregular migrants stuck in Greece is mainly a result of EU and EU member States’ overreliance on securing borders”, the Special Rapporteur said, while calling upon the EU to implement the relocation of 66,400 refugees in a timely and meaningful manner, and facilitate family reunification. He also called on the EU to support Greek authorities in improving reception facilities to ensure adequate standards, and to back alternative measures for detention.

“The way the EU and EU member States handle this ‘crisis’ seems to indicate that human rights and the rule of law are dispensable when it comes to migrants under these circumstances,” Mr. Crépeau said.

The expert welcomed the positive steps taken by Greece to provide emergency services such as shelter, food and medical services, particularly for the most vulnerable groups. He also noted the quick and efficient response of national and international organisations in assisting the Government in its efforts to protect and promote the human rights of all migrants. “The Greek people have been generous in their support for irregular migrants,” he added.

“The Greek Government must harness the energy of these different actors and develop a comprehensive migration strategy. It must ensure the systematic provision of information to migrants themselves and to all the different stakeholders working with migrants,” he said.

During his five-day visit from 12 to 16 May, Mr. Crépeau met with a range of Government officials responsible for border management, international organisations, civil society organisations and migrant organisations.

He also gathered first-hand information during his visits in Athens, Idomeni and Polykastro in Central Macedonia, as well as the Aegean Islands of Lesbos and Samos, where he met with migrants, including families and unaccompanied children in the unofficial camp in Idomeni and Elliniko, the Polykastro police station, the Elliniko detention centre for migrant women, and the closed Reception and Identification Centres in Samos and Lesbos.

The Special Rapporteur will present his follow-up country mission report to the UN Human Rights Council in June 2017.

(*) Check the full end-of-mission statement: http://www.ohchr.org/en/statements/2016/05/un-special-rapporteur-human-rights-migrants-concludes-his-follow-country-visit

Mr. 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 and is scientific director of the Centre for Human Rights and Legal Pluralism. Learn more, log on to: http://www.ohchr.org/en/special-procedures/sr-migrants

The Special Rapporteurs are part of what is known as the Special Procedures of the Human Rights Council. Special Procedures, the largest body of independent experts in the UN Human Rights system, is the general name of the Council’s independent fact-finding and monitoring mechanisms. Special Procedures mandate-holders are independent human rights experts appointed by the Human Rights Council to address either specific country situations or thematic issues in all parts of the world. They are not UN staff and are independent from any government or organization. They serve in their individual capacity and do not receive a salary for their work.

Read the International Convention for the Protection of the Rights of All Migrant Workers and Members of their Families: http://www.ohchr.org/en/instruments-mechanisms/instruments/international-convention-protection-rights-all-migrant-workers

UN Human Rights, Country Page – Greece: http://www.ohchr.org/en/countries/greece
         
For more information and media requests, please contact:
Alice Ochsenbein (+41 22 79830 / aochsenbein@ohchr.org)
Elizabeth Wabuge (+41 22 79138 / ewabuge@ohchr.org)
Dimitrios Fatouros (+32 2 788 84 68 / fatouros@unric.org)

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

For your news websites and social media: Multimedia content & key messages relating to our news releases are available on UN Human Rights social media channels, listed below. Please tag us using the proper handles:
Twitter: @UNHumanRights
Facebook: unitednationshumanrights
Instagram: unitednationshumanrights
Google+: unitednationshumanrights
Youtube: unohchr