Monthly Archive for August, 2013

400 migrants on hunger strike in Orestiada detention center

400 migrants are since the morning of August 28th on hunger strike in Fylakio detention center near Orestiada in Evros.
Their protest began when they were informed that their detention duration would get extended to 18 months.

left.gr (in greek)

Suicide attempt by Afghan sans papiers in Corinth detention center

On August 24th, 2013 an Afghani migrant jumped out of the window of the detention center in Corinth. He was seriously injured. Earlier, the detainee had climbed the iron bars of the windows, threatening he would jump, to protest his prolonged and inhuman detention. Only recently authorities in Corinth had announced to extend detention from 12 to 18 months. The injured man has been transferred to the General Hospital of Corinth. At the moment there is no further information about his health condition.

Around 5,000 immigrants have been arrested and detained in Greece since the launching of “Xenios Dias” police operation in August 2012.

Uprising in Amigdaleza

ON August 10th detained migrants in Amigdaleza near Athens protested in an uprising against the extension of their detention from 12 to 18 months. 1.620 migrants are currently detained in this prison while it was built only for 820. In the past months different human rights organisations had reported about the inhuman detention conditions, about cases of police violence and forced “voluntary returns”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ei-yh2FyPoQ&feature=player_embedded#at=15

Saturday 10th of August: Immigrants imprisoned at Amygdaleza detention center (near Athens) started a revolt around 21.00 o’clock. They protested against the deplorable conditions and the extension of their detention from 12 to 18 months. Many of the detainees face deportation following the negative decisions on their asylum cases and have lost hope.GREECE-IMMIGRATION-POLICE-RIGHTS Continue reading ‘Uprising in Amigdaleza’

Fortress Europe: 24 immigrants drown near the turkish coast

Speed boat carrying 30, sank due to unknown reasons. 24 dead retrieved from the sea, 12 rescued alive…

ISTANBUL, July 31 — A total of 24 sans papiers immigrants were found dead in the international waters of the Aegean Sea between Greece and Turkey after a speed boat carrying them capsized on Wednesday.

Antolian news agency first reported that 18 bodies in the sea were found by coast guard teams and then updated the number of dead to 24.

The sans papiers immigrants lost their lives Wednesday when a boat carrying them sank in the Aegean Sea off the coast of Ezine, a district in the northwestern province of Canakkale.

Initial reports said the immigrants were traveling to the island of Lesbos in Greece. Twelve others who were also on the boat during the accident were rescued alive.

The rescue operations are underway and accompanied by planes and helicopters belonging to the coast guards.

However, there is no detail information on the nationalities of the sans papiers immigrants and where they were from as well as their final destination.

This is the second incident in a week happening in the Aegean Sea.

Last Friday Greek Coast Guard found five bodies off the southeastern Aegean Sea island of Kos after the sinking of a boat carrying sans papiers immigrants to Greece from neighbouring Turkey.

by clandestina (in english)

see also:
CNN (in turkish)