Greece took more than 2 million euros in money and belongings from the immigrants it pushed to Turkey
The newspaper El País, in its news item entitled “Immigrants looted by the Greek security forces at the European border”, conveyed the experiences of irregular migrants who cross from Turkey to Greece.
The newspaper emphasized that in the investigation carried out in cooperation with the Greek news site Solomon, interviews were conducted with irregular migrants, different non-governmental organizations, institutions, experts and residents of the Maritsa River border in the past six months.
MORE THAN 20 THOUSAND MIGRANTS SENT
The Spanish newspaper wrote that more than 20,000 irregular migrants were sent back to Turkey by Greek security forces through the Meriç border in the period 2017-2022.
In the news, which drew attention to the fact that 374 cases were recorded during the transfer of these immigrants from Greece to Turkey, it was stated that 232 of these cases were identified as theft.
“The results of the investigation clearly reveal that the Greek authorities committed a robbery.” The report used the expression: “Immigrants who enter Greece irregularly, which is the eastern border of the European Union, do not have asylum applications or arrest records, and these people, who are taken to the police station, military barracks or empty warehouses, are treated with violence”.
The report noted the following:
“Before irregular migrants were sent to Turkey on inflatable boats, their money and belongings were taken from them. According to the data collected, it is estimated that in the last 6 years, the Greek security forces have taken money between 2 and 2.8 million euros or valuables such as mobile phones, rings, earrings, bracelets, watches from immigrants. If we consider the information that is not registered in the NGOs that work in the region, this amount could be much higher”.
LOADING STARTED AS THE FIRST SOLO EVENT AFTER BECOMING A SYSTEMATIC TOUCH
Highlighting that the looting of irregular migrants first started as “individual incidents” but later turned into a “systematic tactic”, the Spanish journalists said: “When you confiscate their phones, you destroy any evidence that they were there.” You make his life more difficult when you take his money. When you leave them naked, you humiliate them, you demoralize them. According to Eva Cosse, a researcher at the Greek Human Rights Association, this is part of a strategy to discourage them from trying again.” he wrote.
Hope Barker, spokesperson for the non-governmental organization Border Violence Monitoring Network, said in her assessment: “We cannot just talk about the case of a few malicious people because in recent years it has been a systematic operational practice. Cell phones are sometimes broken and sometimes they go to sleep, but money always goes to sleep.” she defended her point of view.
In the information provided, it was also noted that in 2017, only 11 percent of the incidents that occurred during the sending of irregular migrants from Greece to Turkey were related to the theft of their money, while this rate increased to 92 percent in 2022.
On the other hand, it was reported that the demands of Cuban citizens Lino Antonio Rojas Morell and Yudith Pérez Álvarez, who crossed from Turkey to Greece through the Meriç river in January 2022, were not registered and were also mistreated.
“The Greek police not only ignored the asylum requests, but also took these people to the police station and took their mobile phones and backpacks,” the report says. expression was used.
Speaking to the newspaper, Rojas Morrell said: “One day after going to the Commissioner, he was searched once more before being sent to Turkey illegally with immigrants of other nationalities. The police chief took my 375 euros and put it in his pocket. Pérez Álvarez said: “The police were clearly looking for money. They even looked at my underwear.” saying. (AA)