The Council of Europe has urged Greece to stop doing so-called pushbacks, the illegal return of migrants to sea. Athens has always denied returning migrants arriving by boat from Turkey. The Council of Europe, with 50 member states, works to promote unity within Europe and respect for human rights.
In a letter to the Greek cabinet, the Council’s Commissioner for Human Rights expressed her “deep concern”. Dunja Mijatovic writes that since 2017 there have been “numerous credible allegations” of asylum seekers illegally returned to Turkey or left at sea.
In the letter, sent on May 3 but only made public today, Mijatovic urged “to end these practices and to ensure that independent and effective investigations are conducted”.
‘Unfounded accusations’
From pushbacks are in violation of international law, and aid organizations have been protesting against it for years. The Greek government denies having anything to do with it dragging refugees back to the high seas.
The Greek ministers of Asylum and Migration, Maritime Affairs and Civil Defense also now call the allegations unfounded. “The measures taken by the Greek authorities at our maritime borders are being implemented in full compliance with international obligations,” was their response to the letter.
They say Greece has “rescued thousands of people since the refugee crisis broke out in 2015 and continues to do so in the Aegean.”
–
