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Greece and Turkey abandon Syrian refugees trapped on island for over a week

Both countries refuse to take responsibility for around 70 people in distress, and claim the island is not their territory THE governments of Greece and Turkey ignored calls today to launch an urgent rescue of Syrian refugees trapped for over a week on an islet in the river that separates the two countries. About 70Continue reading “Greece and Turkey abandon Syrian refugees trapped on island for over a week”

‘The real crime is the EU’s border regime’, activists say as refugees and rescue workers prepare to go to court

‘The duty to save lives at sea is being put on trial’, Amnesty International warns ahead of Iuventa pretrial. Meanwhile, 500 survivors on the Geo Barents still wait for dry land TWO refugees and 21 rescue workers are due to appear in court this week charged with people smuggling, but the real crime is theContinue reading “‘The real crime is the EU’s border regime’, activists say as refugees and rescue workers prepare to go to court”

34 people stuck on islet in the Evros River for two days in need of rescue

Alarm Phone and BVMN demand Greek authorities launch rescue operation immediately ACTIVISTS have demanded that the authorities save the lives of 34 people, including six children and a pregnant woman, currently stuck on an islet in the river that separates Greece from Turkey for the last two days. The 34 people made the attempted crossingContinue reading “34 people stuck on islet in the Evros River for two days in need of rescue”

Greece told to drop charges against father of 6-year-old refugee who drowned while trying to cross the Aegean Sea

Meanwhile, the Ocean Viking still waits for Europe to allow 306 refugees to come ashore GREECE must drop the charges brought against the father of a six-year-old boy who died in a shipwreck in the Aegean Sea last year and another man who piloted the boat, refugee rights campaigners have demanded. The two men, knownContinue reading “Greece told to drop charges against father of 6-year-old refugee who drowned while trying to cross the Aegean Sea”

Mare Liberum to resume refugee rights monitoring missions in the Aegean Sea

Crew sets sail for Samos as Greek Coastguards continue illegal refugee pushbacks to Turkey A HUMAN rights monitoring group whose work the German state had tried to thwart announced its return to the Aegean Sea today. The refugee support organisation Mare Liberum had been monitoring migrant and refugee sea crossings between Turkey and Greece sinceContinue reading “Mare Liberum to resume refugee rights monitoring missions in the Aegean Sea”

Refugee support organisation Josoor calls for donations after donor pulls out following Greek authorities’ ‘criminalisation campaign’

Meanwhile, five NGO refugee rescue ships continued to be held in Italy AN NGO that supports refugees in Turkey is appealing for financial help after a donor withdrew a promise of funding following unconfirmed reports that the Greek authorities are investigating its activities. Austrian NGO Josoor said today that it had previously received a writtenContinue reading “Refugee support organisation Josoor calls for donations after donor pulls out following Greek authorities’ ‘criminalisation campaign’”

Greek coastguard systematically violating refugee human rights, report alleges

Alarm Phone documents 76 cases in the last 12 months when the Hellenic Coastguard used violent methods against refugees THE Greek coastguard stands accused once again of having systematically violated the human rights of refugees over the last year in a new study published today by the refugee distress hotline organisation Alarm Phone. In theContinue reading “Greek coastguard systematically violating refugee human rights, report alleges”

Refugee rights defenders condemn the EU-Turkey migrant deal on its fifth anniversary

Meanwhile, the Ocean Viking rescue ship finds 11 people off the coast of Libya Refugee rights groups condemned the European Union’s migrant deal with Turkey today on its fifth anniversary. The 2016 deal, officially known as EU-Turkey Statement, allowed the Greek authorities to return to Turkey any person who had crossed into the country irregularly.Continue reading “Refugee rights defenders condemn the EU-Turkey migrant deal on its fifth anniversary”

Close to 10,000 people pushed back to Turkey by Greek coastguard and Frontex, activists allege

New report by Mare Liberum documents 321 migrant pushbacks in the Aegean Sea last year CLOSE to 10,000 people were forcibly pushed back across the Aegean Sea to Turkey last year by the Greek coastguard and the European Border and Coast Guard Agency (Frontex), according to a human rights monitoring organisation. Mare Liberum, a GermanContinue reading “Close to 10,000 people pushed back to Turkey by Greek coastguard and Frontex, activists allege”

Who thought this was a good idea?

A New Year’s greeting from the UNHCR celebrating a refugee baby’s return to Afghanistan raises worrying questions, writes Josoor co-founder NATALIE GRUBER I RECEIVED dozens of messages with wishes for the New Year. By far the most heartfelt ones came from my Afghan friends. I smiled at every single one, but replying to them wasContinue reading “Who thought this was a good idea?”