Tag Archive for 'sans-papiers'

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Patras: Migrants suffer from Repression and merely survive in the cold of the winter

Published on November 25, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , , .

The new port in Patras has attracted sans-papier who were trying to move on to Italy and were living already in Patras to move their provisory housing closer to it. The “migration map” in town has changed together with the port of Patras. Now, the new housing areas for sans-papiers near to the new port become the battlefield where the police and other anti-immigrant groups repress and attack them. They beat them, they burn their belongings – clothes and blankets, they take away their temporary residence permits without any reason and they expulse them from the ruins where they found provisory shelter under humiliating living conditions.

A local TV-Channel that had been taking an anti-immigrant position since the early years of Patras as transit hub for migrants reported about one of the new shelters of sans-papiers in Patras. The propaganda made is overestimating the numbers of sans-papiers in town and creating a new target by showing one specific place of shelter.

The sans-papiers in Patras fall victim to racism and police violence on a daily basis. They suffer from cold and rain being homeless. There is a need in creating sustainable and human solutions instead of targeting and punishing the sans-papiers in town.

Severe Maltreatment of Sans-Papiers in Detention by the Greek Police, 14th of November

Published on November 20, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , .

Two detained Kurds from Iraq were severely maltreated, even tortured while they were in detention on remand. It began in the detention facilities of the appeals court and culminated in the cellar of Petrou Ralli aliens police detention. Guard from Koridallos prison where the detained victims were finally brought to became witnesses of the last beating in Petrou Ralli and of the highly injuries marking the bodies of the two Kurds.

The beatings began upon an argument the detainees had in the court with some guarding officers who had insulted them. They were brought into a room and beaten by a dozen of officers. Then instead of being transferred back to Koridallos prison they were brought to Petrou Ralli Aliens Police Directorate. In the cellar of the building the beatings continued. They were jumping on his back, stepping on their necks and on their face and spitting into their mouths. One of the officers hold his gun on one of the two sans-papiers and said: “I will kill you like a dog!”
One of the two sans-papiers fainted and had to be transferred to hospital of the prison. He was all covered with blood. Due to insufficient medical treatment possibilities he was transferred to the hospital “Red Cross”. On his own will he decided not to stay there fearing the police officers who were guarding him there. Both guards and the director of the prison reported the maltreatment to the authorities. The brutal incident is being currently researched by the internal affairs department of the police. Both of the victims reported their maltreatment.
http://www.newsit.gr/default.php?pname=Article&art_id=107249&catid=3
http://www.enet.gr/?i=news.el.ellada&id=327322

Another 70 refugees in distress at sea on their way to Italy on the 16th November

Published on November 16, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

The boat carrying around 60-70 refugees mainly from Afghanistan had left Kerkyra in the early morning hours. The machine broke down and water started entering the boat when the refugees could contact the Greek coast guard in order to get saved.
The strong winds carried the boat near to Lefkada. In the afternoon hours the coast guard could bring the boat finally to the port of Preveza.

minors burn their cell in amigdaleza detention centre

Published on November 6, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , .

seven detained minors pending deportation were transferred to hospital after one of them put fire on a mattress in protest against their detention and claiming their rights as children.
the boys from Algeria, Palestina and Lybia are detainees in the special detention centre for minors in amigdaleza – a prison at the outskirts of athens.

ethnos newspaper, 7th of November (in greek)
eleftherotypia newspaper 6th of November (in greek)

Bulgarian Asylum System Pushes Migrants West

Published on November 4, 2011 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

From Balkan Insight – news article, 4th of November 2011:

Bulgaria fails to integrate its refugees and routinely locks up asylum seekers, despite EU and national laws banning the use of detention centres, forcing even those who might otherwise stay to try their luck in western Europe.

What crime have I committed to be held a prisoner?

When will they set me free? They are telling me six months, why six months?” “On what grounds are they detaining me? I am a refugee, not a criminal.

Continue reading ‘Bulgarian Asylum System Pushes Migrants West’

lostatborder

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

“We wanted to cross the border at the river in two boats. We were many people and two boats. We entered the second boat. 13 persons in a boat for 3! For some reason our boat got into a slipstream. It turned around and we all fell into the water. It was night. Some of us hold on to the boat and reached the Turkish coast. Me and my daughters were carried away by the stream together with another woman and three men. We couldn’t swim. I was struggling to keep myself over the water level in order not to drown. I just heard my daughter shouting: Mum, help me! Then the Turkish border guards found us and pulled me out of the water. I told them about the others and they searched some hours for them without any results. After release from detention in Turkey we crossed again into Greece and went directly to the police. We told them that we lost our children and asked for help. They brought us into another prison.”

S. looking for his friend Saaid in the river


Continue reading ‘lostatborder’

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.

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)

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/