Tag Archive for 'greece'

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Violence and repression in Patra

Published on October 14, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , , .

Press Release by the Solidarity Group in Patras concerning the increased violence against migrants and refugees in the area around the new port in Patras, 13th of October 2011:
Press Release (in English)
Press Release (in Greek)

Statement by the Afghan Association “Bahar”:

Since March 2011 the Afghan refugees in Patra have created the association „bahar“ (English: „spring“) with the aim to help each other to integrate into the Greek society in an atmosphere of friendship and harmony with the locals.
Unfortunately, within the last five months we have seen an increase in incidents of violence by the authorities against us Afghan refugees. Everyday Afghans report to us of violent attacks with severe injuries. The victims have attestations of the hospitals to prove these. This brutal strategy of the authorities constitutes a harsh human rights violation and in any case is no solution for the migration issue in Patras whatsoever.
The association of Afghans in Patra “Bahar” has started to raise this issue of violence in public. We will stand at the side of all victims and we will take also legal measures to report these human rights violations.

Member of LAOS (extreme right party) demands new mines for Evros to stop migration

Published on September 30, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , .

Andonis Georgiadis, congreeman of the extreme right party LAOS demanded to re-instal mines in the area of Evros in order to stop migration.

Close the borders so that nobody enters. Some years ago we had mine fields. It was declared as not acceptable. We took them out. I would say, we should put them back. With big signs warning the ones who want to enter that there are mines. If we want to protect our country!

alterthess newsblog

Terror and Fear in the Open Sea near Zakynthos – Letter by the Afghan Commission of Political Refugees

Published on September 28, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , .

Athens, 28th of September 2011

Terror and Fear in the Open Sea

In the open sea close to Zakynthos a group of 65 Afghan and Iraqi-Kurdish refugees experienced days of terror and fear when they were trying to reach the Italian shore. They were in serious danger of death by drowning and starvation when their boat went into distress. Among them were many children and families. One of them lost his life, while trying to save himself by swimming. Two others took their last breaths in the hospital, following their rescue after 11 days on the open sea.

refugees in an overcrowded boat trying to find a safe haven


The tragic story of refugees and migrants who are forced to leave behind their home due to war, poverty and persecution takes no end. Among the refugees in the boat many had already lost relatives on the sea and land borders on their way from Afghanistan and Iraq through other countries and until here. Their tragic stories continue in Greece, a country, which in the name of crisis and a repressive migration policy of Fortress Europe denies providing refugees with their basic rights, with a functioning reception infrastructure and integrating them into social and economical life. This gives the extreme-right a leeway to target them both ideologically and in practice on the streets and to use them as scapegoats of a policy of poverty and misery. It leads the refugees and migrants to a further quest for a safe life in another country – whatever it may cost.

This incident is not rare but it is a tough reality with many victims. Many boats in distress, many deaths at the borders – and the European governments are well aware of it.
Following this tragedy some of the survivors returned to Athens, among them a single father with his two small kids (4-6 years old) in his arms, searching for some corner on the squares and streets of Athens. In their hands the deportation order, which the police authorities gave them without asking where they will go or what they will eat. Nobody asked them if they need protection or if they want to claim asylum.

Respectfully,

The Commission of Afghan Political Refugees

Press Release: Solidarity group Patras, 27th of September 2011

Published on September 28, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , .

Against the repressive measures of the authorities who in the most violent way show their “law and order” approach towards the issue of migration in Patras:

Press Release by the solidarity group in Patras (in English)

The police reacted to the denouncing press release by stating that if there were incidents of police violence against migrants then the solidarity group should file charges against them at the public prosecutor. Meanwhile the authorities are well aware of how difficult this is. However, only documented migrants can file charges while most of the refugees and migrants in Patras are in transit and without legal residence permits. The few among them with valid papers are often too afraid of taking legal measures against the authorities. Another difficulty arises from the long duration of judicial proceedings. Most of the migrant victims and witnesses leave Greece before the date of the court case is reached.

see also news (in Greek)

video about one of the fascist militant vigilantes of the neighbourhood of St. Panteleimonas

Published on September 26, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , .

T. Skordelis is one of the three fascists charged before the court for the violent attack on and Afghan refugee that occurred on the 16th of September. This is video is a collection of video material on her fascist involvement.

another ship in distress in the Ionian, 23rd of September

Published on September 24, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

On Friday, September 23, a small boat that was trying to get to Italy carrying 65 Kurds and Afghans sans-papiers, broke 90 miles southwest of the island of Zakynthos. When port police reached the vessel only 32 immigrants were aboard. A helicopter participating in the rescue operation managed to save 30 immigrants that have fallen in the sea. Late in the afternoon, the same helicopter discovered the bodies of 3 sans-papiers who drowned at sea.

http://clandestinenglish.wordpress.com/

Horrible video: greek fascist from the “golden dawn” publishes proudly material showing his assaults on the civil society

Published on September 21, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , .

May 2011: greek news video of fascists attacking a migrants shop leaving behind a huge destruction
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rBhU8vTJ7M0&feature=related

We demand from the Greek authorities to react on and punish the continuing racist and fascist attacks
NO MORE SILENCE!

For more information see a greek documentary from 2009 on the fascist group golden dawn (in Greek)
part 1

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Frontex heavily criticised by Human Rights Watch for their involvement in Evros – and PR response by Frontex

Published on September 21, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , .

Human Rights Watch published today, on the 21st of September 2011 a report about the Frontex operation in Evros underlining the international responsibility on the human rights violations against sans-papiers and asylum seekers in the detention centres of the region.

paranoiex securitex frontex


The EUs dirty hands
The EUs Dirty Hands: Frontex Involvement in Ill-Treatment of Migrant Detainees in Greece

Frontex reacted immediately with a press release:

FRONTEX’S REACTION TO HRW REPORT
Warsaw, 21 September 2011 – Frontex welcomes the revised report of HRW and is satisfied to note that its comments on the original draft were taken on board. The report now highlights an issue, which we agree, is of great importance.

A Frontexian in Evros


We would like to recall that Frontex fully respects and strives for promoting Fundamental Rights in its border control operations which, however, do not include organization of, and responsibility for, detention on the territory of the Member States, which remains their exclusive remit.
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Letter by the Afghan Community: Concerning racist attacks in Athens

Published on September 19, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , , .

On the 18th of September the Afghan Community of Greece sent a letter to the Prime Ministers’ office in order to inform him of the continuing racist attacks against refugees and migrants in Athens and demanding for an immediate intervention by the authorities. The letter was a reaction to a huge number of racist attacks in the last three years, specifically, the last violent aggression of the beginning of August. Three persons had attacked an Afghan asylum seeker with a knife leaving him behind with severe injuries. A witness reported the racist attack and filed charges against the aggressors. The trial is going to be at the 27th September. It is one of the rare occasions when victims of racist attacks actually step away from their fear in order to report the violent act against them. It is also one of the rare incidents when the police actually accepted to register the report of a racist attack.

One of the most fatal results of the race motivated attacks is that they divide us as human beings when we need unity and solidarity the most. In the middle of the financial crisis, immigrants are able to contribute up to a level, promoting Greece abroad and taking part in the financial activity of the country. Racism can become a serious threat to the coexistence of cultures and social progress.

Read the letter in

english
greek

read the press release by the UNHCR (in greek)
PR UNHCR

racist attacks in athens continue

Published on September 18, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , .

In the recent days repeated racist attacks take place in various neighbourhoods of Athens.

Yesterday, 17th of September the court case against

Friday night (September 16), 2 Afghan immigrants were attacked outside their home. When they saw a group of thugs approaching, scared they tried to run away but did not manage to escape. The gangs attacked them leaving one stabbed! The victim suffered two wounds, one next to the heart and another one just below. One person was arrested but the rest of the fascist gangs escaped and continued their attacks at St. Panteleimonas square beating up another Afghan. The arrested facist was brought to the court on Saturday 17th of September. The court was postponed for three days.
indymedia
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