Hasan 33 years old from Sudan, attacked by a group of racists in the center of Athens.
A CROSS ON HIS BACK
Hassan Mekki, a 32-year-old Sudanese migrant who fled conflict in his country in hope of a better life in Europe – suffers silently.
In August, he and a friend were walking in Athens when black-shirted men on motorcycles holding Greek flags came up and knocked him unconscious with a blow to the head, he said.
When he came to, he was covered in blood. Only later would he realize that his attackers, whom he says were likely tied to the far-right Golden Dawn party, had left large gashes resembling an “X” across his back.
“I don’t have the right papers, so I can’t go anywhere to ask for help,” Mekki said. “I can’t sleep. I’m scared, maybe they will follow me, and my life is in danger now.”
In the latest criticism of Greece’s handling of migrants, the U.N. Special Rapporteur on migrants’ rights condemned Greece for doing little to curb rising racist attacks. Much of the violence went unreported because victims were afraid of deportation if they went to the police, who were sometimes involved in the attacks, Francois Crepeau said.