Migrants being forced to carry out ‘pushbacks’ by Greek police
‘Work was not paid but police said he could search migrants’ possessions and take what he wanted’
MIGRANTS are being forced by police in Greece to take fellow migrants back across the country’s border with Turkey, an investigation has found.
The claims add a sinister twist to the illegal “pushback” policy allegedly pursued by Greece along its land and sea frontiers with Turkey.
Migrants who make it across the Evros River from Turkey have been told if they do not help police carry out the pushbacks they will be jailed.
Using such proxies reduces the risk of potentially violent confrontations between Greek and Turkish authorities.
If they choose to collaborate, migrants are forced to take other migrants back across the river in inflatable dinghies, according to an investigation by Le Monde, Der Spiegel, The Guardian, ARD Report München and Lighthouse Reports, a NGO based in the Netherlands.
Six Syrian and Moroccan asylum seekers told investigators that they had taken part in such operations under duress and, in return, police allegedly gave them permission to remain in Greece for another month.
Two of the migrants said they were effectively being used as “slaves” by the Greek police and two senior Greek police officers confirmed that migrants were being used in such a way, according to investigators.
One Syrian man, identified only as “Bassel”, said he was not paid but Greek police gave him permission to search through intercepted migrants’ possessions and steal anything he wanted.
“This work is very dangerous, because of the enmity between the Greeks and the Turks,” he added.
At one Greek police station, in the border village of Neo Cheimonio, migrants dragooned into helping police were under the command of a Syrian gangmaster who called himself “Mike”.
Sporting a tattoo of a Spartan helmet, he lived in the grounds of the police station and used threats and violence to steal migrants’ valuables.
Migrants forced to work for the police are locked up in between pushback operations, it has been alleged.
“The ‘slaves’ said they worked alongside regular police stripping, robbing and assaulting refugees and migrants who crossed into Greece – then ferried them back to the Turkish side of the river against their will,” said Lighthouse Reports. “Between operations the slaves were held in at least three police stations in the heavily militarised Evros region.”
Pushbacks violate European and international human rights law.
The principle of “non-refoulement”, dictates that no one can be returned to a country in which they could face torture, punishment or harm.
The Greek government denies carrying out pushbacks but human rights organisations and journalists have said they have evidence that it does.
“Greece protects the external borders of the EU, in full compliance with international law and in full respect of the charter of fundamental rights,” its migration and asylum minister has claimed.