AYS Digest 11/5/22: 2,500 asylum seekers and refugees being held in prolonged, inhumane detention in Lithuania
Rise in racism and xenophobia in Turkey//#OtherFaceofEurope//Jonas Grimheden speaks of pushbacks involving FRONTEX//Border enforcement and violence in Hungary//A fire at Pournara facility in Cyprus//Las Vidas sin Rastro Campaign//Expulsions in Calais//UK-Rwanda deal…
TURKEY
Rising xenophobia towards refugees and migrants
There have been several reports over the last few years about the increasing racism towards Syrians in Turkey. Syrian refugees make up around 3.6 million of the roughly 4 million refugees in Turkey.
This resentment, however, extends to many other refugees, asylum seekers, and foreign nationals in the country. A poll was carried out in 2021 showing that over 70% of Turks would vote for the party that would promise the toughest action against refugees.
In the midst of economic and political turmoil, there are increasing anti-refugee sentiments among the general public and within political spheres. Erdogan pledged he would never send Syrians back to Syria, however, there is now significant pressure on him to take harsher measures.
European countries should be arguing against any ideas of implementing forced returns, and should be reinforcing the commitment to the safety and dignity of Syrian refugees.
Further reading:
Reports further suggest that migrant women are the most threatened and impacted by rising anti-refugee and racist rhetoric
There are very high rates of migrant women workers who are being exploited, underpaid, and are unprotected from physical and sexual violence at work and at home.
EU/FRONTEX
An interesting thematic analysis by Statewatch on the EU’s security budget
This analysis delves into the roles of European development aid, the criticism of the EU’s external migration policy, the empowerment of certain EU agencies and so much more.
A former FRONTEX officer has voiced their opinion on the referendum on whether to increase funding provided by Switzerland to the agency:
Jonas Grimheden has stayed silent on pushbacks involving FRONTEX, but has made this statement below:
Twitter Threads on the #OtherFaceofEurope and the use of technology at borders and within border control:
GREECE
HUNGARY
The impenetrable border
Hungary has made the effort to welcome Ukrainian refugees, the same rhetoric exists as in many other European countries, where other migrants are still rejected.
Testimonies from refugees trying to cross from Serbia into Hungary highlight the border violence, pushbacks, and rejections.
The government that was elected in 2015 got rid of the previous asylum system, and built a 4m high, 175km long, barbered-wire fence on its border. In addition, since 2020, individuals can only begin applying for asylum from the Hungarian embassies in Belgrade or Kyiv. They have to write a letter of intent and then wait for the decision on this letter before being able to travel to Hungary. They can then submit an asylum application.
The Hungarian Helsinki Committee have published information leaflets for non-Ukrainians fleeing from Ukraine to Hungary: Information for non-Ukrainian citizens fleeing from Ukraine
BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA
LITHUANIA
Asylum seekers detained in inhumane conditions
MSF has stated that over 2,500 asylum seekers and migrants are being held in appalling conditions, several months after they have crossed from Belarus. MSF’s country representative in Lithuania, Georgina Brown claimed:
“MSF teams have witnessed the physical and mental health distress caused by detention… People do not have access to a fair asylum process and there is no specialised support for psychiatric disorders or survivors of torture and sexual violence.”
Many have been detained since 2021, at a time when there was a rise in the number of people from Iraq, Congo, Syria, Cameroon and Afghanistan who were trying to cross from Belarus to Poland, Lithuania, and Latvia.
MSF has further added that members of the LGBTQ+ are especially at risk of discrimination and mental health decline.
CYPRUS
Pournara reception centre
It is located outside the village of Kokkinotrimitha. Around 100 asylum seekers enter the area each day, and each week, 70 are deported.
“Police said the Pournara facility, designed for a capacity for 400 people, now hosts around ten times that number — some 4,000.”
“Officials of the asylum service told parliamentarians they are considering erecting a double fence around Pournara in a bid to stop people from leaving the facility at will.”
At least six injured in a fire at Pournara
InfoMigrants reports that it is still unclear what was the cause of the fire.
There have been several reports on the conditions at Pournara, highlighting the facts that it is overcrowded, there is a very limited food supply, and there are no activities or educational programmes for the children.
MOROCCO
After months of tension between Spain and Morocco, Spain has thanked Morocco for their work on “irregular” migration.
In mid-2021, Spanish media and political parties questioned the work being done by the Moroccan government against organised crime and “irregular” migration.
As a result of this renewed relationship between the states, they will collectively aim to strengthen coordination and the sharing of information, which includes updating their working methods at the level of police cooperation and liaison officers.
SEA/SAR
72 rescued and 28 missing off the Canary Islands
The first boat was first spotted on Monday morning. By the time the coastguard and rescue services arrived, only 13 individuals had survived. There were originally at least 40 people on board.
A second boat was spotted on Tuesday, and 59 people were brought to safety.
MSF Sea has also carried out two further operations:
AlarmPhone has alerted about a sinking boat just off the coast of Libya:
SPAIN
Over 12,208 people have died on the southern border of Spain whilst travelling across the Mediterranean since 1988
The goal of the Vidas sin rastro campaign is to:
“…denounce the lack of effective responses guaranteeing the rights of the dead, disappeared and their families at the southern border, and to demand the adoption and adaptation of existing mechanisms and instruments on disappearances, identification and repatriation of the dead to the transnational context of migration.”
You can find more information about the campaign here:
FRANCE
More tent removals and expulsions in Calais
Human Rights Observers state that one person was arrested, which is a common practice to create fear and anxiety among displaced individuals.
Human Rights Observers and Utopia56 argued the legality of these expulsions in front of a jury. They put particular emphasis on the conditions by which individuals are having their belongings confiscated and destroyed.
In addition to this, another letterbox in Calais, that has been used to allow refugees and asylum seekers to defend themselves in legal proceedings, has been damaged.
UK
Refugee Council’s response to Queen’s Speech
A proposal to replace the Human Rights Act 1998 with a British Bill of Rights was announced. This has caused great concern among organisations for fear that the fundamental rights of refugees, currently in place, will be pushed aside.
Refugee Council responds to the speech and shares their concerns: Refugee Council’s response
Asylum seekers in hiding to avoid Rwanda deal
The British Red Cross and the Refugee Council have stated that some asylum seekers have disappeared from hotels for fear of being sent to Rwanda.
UK to notify first group of individuals being sent to Rwanda
This week, the first group of asylum seekers will be told about their relocation to Rwanda.
Thankfully, lawyers are putting up a fight against these deportations, which has resulted in the arrangements for flights being postponed. The UK government is also currently facing six legal actions brought by migrant rights organisations.
Ukrainians and Afghans could also be sent to Rwanda
Immigration minister Tom Pursglove did not deny that those who fled from Ukraine could also be considered to be sent to Rwanda. Furthermore, he also refused to state whether Afghan nationals who worked alongside the British army could be deported.
WORTH READING:
- Civil society organisations call on Members of the European Parliament to protect societies from biometric mass surveillance practices.
- An interesting article by Border Criminologies on the UK-Rwanda Deal:
- A report by the Danish Refugee Council on border mistreatment and pusbacks:
- Further updates on the UK-Rwanda Deal:
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