According to a press release accompanying the report, entitled “At the Borders of Europe: Pushbacks Under Impunity”, pushbacks remain a deliberate and systemic migration policy of the Greek state.

Disturbing testimonies and systemic failures

“New victim testimonies paint a grim picture of these illegal practices, revealing the active participation of Greek authorities,” the HCR states. These findings align with reports by the UN, European institutions, and national bodies documenting similar patterns of abuse. The report contests the narrative of “insufficient evidence” often cited by EU and Greek authorities to deny the existence of pushbacks.

The report documents 12 pushback incidents along the Evros border in 2023 and highlights judicial developments in three previous cases currently before the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR).

Pushback operations, the report emphasises, systematically violate asylum seekers’ rights, including protection from refoulement. Victims endure unlawful detention in unsanitary, unregistered conditions, often without basic supplies, access to legal remedies, or even food and water.

Harrowing treatment of victims

The report underscores the widespread use of inhumane and degrading treatment during pushbacks, including physical and psychological abuse, gender-based violence, strip searches, and forced nudity. Children are not spared from such violence. Once returned to Turkey, victims face further risks, including arrest, imprisonment, or deportation to their countries of origin—where they may face persecution or death.

Turkish asylum seekers are particularly vulnerable to imprisonment for prior political convictions, while Afghan asylum seekers risk being deported to dangerous conditions in Afghanistan.

Judicial impunity

The report condemns Greece’s failure to prosecute any pushback cases, despite overwhelming evidence, including victim testimonies, witness accounts, and video documentation. “More than 80 interim measures have been issued by the European Court of Human Rights in the last two years to protect newly arrived asylum seekers in the Evros region,” the HCR notes. “Yet, Greek authorities continue to ignore these rulings with impunity.”

The lack of criminal prosecutions highlights a systemic issue of ineffective investigations into reported rights violations, fostering an environment where perpetrators act without fear of accountability.

Calls for action

Alkistis Agrafioti Hatzigianni, Advocacy Officer at the Hellenic Council for Refugees, stated: “Independent, prompt, and effective investigations are critical to ensuring accountability for rights violations at the EU’s external borders. This is essential to breaking the cycle of violence.”

The Hellenic Council for Refugees calls on:

The European Union to:

  • Create safe and legal pathways for people seeking safety and movement within Europe.
  • Ensure EU funds used by Greek authorities for migration management comply with EU human rights commitments.
  • Initiate disciplinary measures and infringement proceedings against Greece for systemic violations of international and EU asylum laws.

The Greek government and judiciary to:

  • End the illegal practice of pushbacks.
  • Conduct thorough and effective investigations into alleged rights violations by the Hellenic Police and Coast Guard, holding perpetrators accountable.
  • Guarantee access to justice for victims of pushbacks and border rights violations.

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