Greece on Tuesday was warned to take stronger authorized safeguards at its borders and undertake a “zero-tolerance approach to summary returns” as studies of unlawful deportations of migrants proceed regardless of mounting worldwide criticism.
Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, issued the suggestions following a go to to Greece in February.
“The commissioner is concerned about the allegations received during his visit regarding persistent practices of summary returns – also referred to as ‘pushbacks’ or ‘informal forced returns’ – at both land and maritime borders,” the Council of Europe memorandum stated.
“Returning people without carrying out an individual identification procedure prevents member states from establishing whether they may be sending them back to human rights abuses,” it added.
It stated O’Flaherty famous that the variety of allegations had dropped in current months.
Athens has constantly denied the pushback allegations, sustaining that its border management measures adjust to worldwide legislation.
In a written response to the commissioner, the Greek Police stated its officers are concerned solely within the “lawful prevention of illegal border crossings while migrants are still in Turkish territory and have not yet reached Greece.”
The pushback allegations gained authorized significance after the European Court of Human Rights dominated in opposition to Greece in January, discovering that Athens had violated European human rights conventions by systematically expelling migrants with out due course of.
The Greek authorities is tightening its migration insurance policies. Migration Minister Makis Voridis has introduced plans to increase the utmost detention interval for rejected asylum seekers from 18 month to 24 months.
“The illegal migrant whose asylum application is rejected and who nevertheless does not leave for his country will face a much more unfavorable institutional environment than exists today – essentially to encourage voluntary departure,” Voridis instructed the Action 24 TV news channel.
On Tuesday, the coast guard reported rescuing 158 migrants from three dinghies south of the island of Crete, with help from close by business vessels and Frontex, the European Union’s border safety company.
Founded in 1949 and headquartered in Strasbourg, France, the Council of Europe is a global group devoted to selling human rights, democracy, and the rule of legislation. It has 46 member states.
Source: www.dailysabah.com