A distinguished humanitarian group on Thursday blasted Greece over its therapy of asylum-seekers on the island of Lesbos, repeating allegations of unlawful deportations again to Turkey and claiming authorities are utilizing starvation as a weapon in opposition to some migrants.
Medical doctors With out Borders, identified by its French acronym MSF, mentioned in a press release that the scenario for asylum-seekers on the jap Aegean Sea island is “constantly deteriorating.”
“Many individuals there have been uncovered to violence and have alleged abductions by unidentified masked individuals, pushbacks that pressured them out of Greece, arbitrary detentions, and deprivation of meals and shelter,” it mentioned.
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The Greek authorities has ordered an investigation into claims {that a} group of migrants was illegally deported from Lesbos again to Turkey. Final week’s New York Times report claimed that the migrants have been taken onto a Greek coast guard boat that left them in a raft at sea to be picked up by the Turkish coast guard, which returned them to Turkey.
Athens has repeatedly denied persistent allegations that it engages in such deportations, often known as pushbacks. Lesbos is a significant touchdown level for 1000’s of individuals in search of a greater life in Europe, who cross illegally from Turkey in small boats offered by smuggling gangs.
Medical doctors With out Borders has condemned the Greek authorities for its alleged mistreatment of migrants. (Nicolas Economou/NurPhoto by way of Getty Pictures)
MSF mentioned Thursday that worry of pushbacks was stopping many newly-arrived migrants from accessing its well being providers, whereas others who couldn’t be discovered could have been secretly deported.
“Once we are alerted of newly arrived individuals in pressing want of medical help, we spend hours — typically days — searching for them as they’re usually hiding in forests,” Nihal Osman, MSF’s Lesbos coordinator, mentioned. Osman added that since June 2022, MSF had been unable to search out 940 individuals at their reported places.
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The group additionally claimed that Greek authorities stopped giving meals on Might 17 to individuals who had accomplished the registration course of in a Lesbos heart for asylum seekers to remain pending examination of their bids.
“The federal government is utilizing meals as leverage to drive individuals to go away the ability,” Osman mentioned. He additionally described as “dire” situations at one other heart the place newly arrived asylum seekers are despatched for days, saying it is overcrowded and too remotely positioned.
There was no speedy remark from the Greek authorities.
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Practically 1,000,000 individuals reached Greece from Turkey in 2015, most touchdown on Lesbos. Numbers later dropped, and since 2019 Athens has stepped up patrols at sea to additional cut back arrivals.