Tag Archive for 'unhcr'

Welcome Islands Report 2016/2017

Published on June 2, 2017 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , , , .

The story of the welcome islands…

Since 2011 a small group of activists from Welcome to Europe (http:w2eu.info) who are involved in the Infomobile
Greece grassroots project, and some refugee friends recognized an urgent need to create solidarity shelters for
emergency housing of refugees who were not covered by the official shelters. At the time, the number of places in
state-founded refugee accommodation was nearly non-existing and did not reach 1,000 in total – half of which were
used specifically to house unaccompanied minors….

Welcome Islands 2016/2017. Read the whole story here!

UNHCR asks the Greek Government to review the measure for prolonged administrative detention

Published on April 16, 2014 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , , , , .

15 April 2014

UNHCR is following with great concern the developments in the policy and practice of administrative detention for foreign nationals for whom a return order was issued. A decision was taken recently resulting in extending detention beyond the maximum period allowed by the European Return Directive (18 months). This is likely to have a direct impact also on persons under UNHCR’s mandate, particularly on persons seeking international protection.

Inside pre-removal centres and other police detention facilities, where foreign nationals are detained with a view to be deported, there are also asylum seekers, some of whom are eventually recognized as refugees. There are also foreign nationals that, according to the authorities, cannot be forcibly returned, such as Somalis and Eritreans. The detention of these persons, pending removal, is unfounded when the return is not possible.
Continue reading ‘UNHCR asks the Greek Government to review the measure for prolonged administrative detention’

UNHCR: Statement about report on push-backs from Greece to Turkey

Published on November 12, 2013 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , .

12 November 2013

With reference to the report issued on November 7th 2013 by the German NGO Pro-Asyl, titled “Pushed Back – Systematic human rights violations against Refugees in the Aegean Sea and the Greek-Turkish land border”, the UNHCR Regional Representative for Southern Europe, Mr. Laurens Jolles, stated the following:

UNHCR is concerned over reports of asylum seekers and migrants being forcibly returned (“push-back”) from Greece to Turkey, as published by the German NGO ‘Pro Asyl’. The numbers and scale of the alleged incidents, which reportedly also involve persons fleeing Syria, raise serious concerns.
UNHCR stresses the vital importance of permitting people to access territory to seek international protection. If practices to prevent this, which could put asylum seekers at risk, are taking place they should cease immediately. Continue reading ‘UNHCR: Statement about report on push-backs from Greece to Turkey’

UN rights chief worried about Greece due to violent xenophobic attacks against migrants

Published on September 10, 2012 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , .

The UN’s top human rights official has, in an usual move, singled out Greece as a worrisome area.

UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay told the Geneva-based council Monday that she is worried about

“violent xenophobic attacks against migrants, refugees and asylum seekers in recent months, for example in Greece.”

Racist attacks against immigrants have increased in Greece since the economic crisis flared in 2009, according to pro-immigrant groups which accuse the police of turning a blind eye.

Supporters of neofacist Chrysi Avgi (Golden Dawn) as well as two of the party’s deputies, Giorgos Germenis and Panayiotis Iliopoulos, attacked immigrants’ stalls at a church fate in Rafina, northeast of Athens, late Friday.

Pillay’s assessment of the world is important because it sets the tone for the work of the UN’s 47-nation Human Rights Council whose month-long session opened Monday.

ekathimerini (in english)

Read a recent comment on the rise of the fascist party Chrissy Avgi (golden dawn) by S.E. Smith in “global comment”

UNHCR CALLS FOR AN END TO THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE IN PATRAS

Published on May 24, 2012 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , , , , .

May 24, 2012

Following recent tensions in Patras caused by the murder of a 30-year-old man last Saturday, 19 May, UNHCR condemns all acts of violence and calls for the respect of the rule of law. It also appeals to all concerned in Patras to maintain calm.
The anger generated by the murder, for which a criminal investigation is on-going, should not lead to a cycle of violence, with civilians taking the law into their own hands. It can also not serve as an excuse to target and victimize migrants and refugees in Patras or in other regions of Greece.
The fact that thousands of migrants and asylum seekers are trapped in Greece creates significant problems that need to be addressed through serious dialogue, through specific and realistic policy proposals and a comprehensive set of measures. UNHCR calls on all political and social stakeholders in Greece to work towards this direction and to unequivocally condemn all acts of violence.
UNHCR also calls for support for the efforts to reform the Greek migration management and asylum system, which, along with other requirements, is necessary to improve the current situation.

unhcr greece

UNHCR says asylum situation in Greece is ‘a humanitarian crisis’ 21.09.2010

Published on September 24, 2010 in Uncategorized. Closed Tags: , .

Briefing Notes

This is a summary of what was said by UNHCR spokesperson Adrian Edwards – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at the press briefing, on 21 September 2010, at the Palais des Nations in Geneva.
Continue reading ‘UNHCR says asylum situation in Greece is ‘a humanitarian crisis’ 21.09.2010′