AYS News Digest 17/03/23: Largest scale eviction so far this year on Serbia-Hungary Border
Greek authorities have stolen over 2 million Euros from pushed-back refugees// March 18th marks 7 years since the signing of the EU-Turkey Deal//New Work Paper: Assessing legal grounds for protecting Afghan asylum seekers in Europe//UK government provides ultimatum to the ECHR regarding the new Anti-Refugee Bill 2// and much more…
SERBIA
Evictions at the Serbia-Hungary border
Ylva Johansson was at the Serbia-Hungary border on Thursday 16th March, meeting with Serbian authorities and border control. She thanked and congratulated the Serbian authorities for their work.
Just one day prior, No Name Kitchen reported on the eviction of squats in Northern Serbia — the largest scale evictions since the start of 2023. People who have already been forced to flee violence and persecution are left isolated, with no support, in very cold temperatures. These evictions take place under the guise of security and tackling smuggling and trafficking.
GREECE
Call by MEPs for an investigation after We are Solomon and El Pais published that Greek authorities have stolen over 2 million Euros from pushed-back refugees
Safi and others v Greece
In 2014, the Hellenic coast guard planned to rescue a group of asylum seekers on a fishing boat. However, the coastguard used a speedboat which did not have the necessary equipment; they also did not request assistance nor seek to contact authorities to provide an alternative boat; life jackets were not distributed to the passengers of the fishing boat; the coast guard insisted on a second towing, despite the fact that panic had been observed during a first one that failed; and the coordination and research centre was informed when the fishing boat was already half sunk. These are just some of the failings.
The Court has since found that there was an insufficient investigation into the allegedly flawed translations of applicants’ statements; prosecuting authorities did not fulfil their obligations and due diligence in their investigation; insufficient participation of the applicants in the proceedings.
You can read more about the ongoing issues with this case: SAFI AND OTHERS v. Greece (coe.int)
POLAND
Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights — an NGO dealing with the protection of human rights in Poland — has commented on the fact that Poland has not complied nor taken any action to comply with the judgement set out in case MK and Others v Poland in 2020. This judgement states -
“…the Court called on Poland to establish procedural guarantees that would ensure effective access to refugee proceedings for persons crossing the state border with the intention of applying for international protection in Poland.”
You can read more about the case here: Opinion of the HFHR on the execution of the judgment MK and Others v. Poland | Helsinki Foundation for Human Rights (hfhr-pl.translate.goog)
SEA/SAR
In the first 76 days of 2023, at least 331 people have drowned in the Central Mediterranean Sea
SOS Mediterranee provides a general overview of the first few months of 2023, including;
- Over four shipwrecks between February and March that could have been prevented through maritime coordination and search and rescue operations
- Further criminalisation of NGO ships
- Surge of arrivals in Italy — over 20,000 individuals have arrived in Italy since the beginning of March, mainly coming from Tunisia
El Hiblu3 — three young men accused of terrorism when they faced an illegal pushback — have been waiting for trial since 2019.
A protest is to be held to mark four years of waiting:
GENERAL
March 18th marks 7 years since the signing of the EU-Turkey Deal
Calling all Syrian Diaspora & Humanitarians — ‘Survey to better inform an initiative built on identifying and acting on continuous ways of support for all those in need post-earthquake’: Let’s talk: What can we do about Syria? (google.com)
New Work Paper: Assessing legal grounds for protecting Afghan asylum seekers in Europe
BELGIUM
The government response to a growing homelessness crisis among asylum seekers is to focus on restriction and return
As mentioned in AYS News Digest 15/3/23, in Brussels, there is a growing number of asylum seekers who are street homeless.
According to Belgium’s asylum agency, Fedasil the number of “homeless” asylum seekers reached between 2,000 and 3,000 by early March
By end of January 2023, the Labour Court had convicted the federal government 6000 times of failing to provide accommodation for asylum seekers.
You can read more about the issue and their response here: Belgium: Government Reception Plan with Main Focus on Restrictions and Return as Asylum Seekers and Activists Take Matters into Their Own Hands | European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)
UK
UK government provides ultimatum to the ECHR regarding the new Anti-Refugee Bill 2
Whilst stating they will try to remain within the ECHR, the Justice Secretary has made it clear that if Strasbourg judges attempt to block the introduction of the new UK legislation, the government would consider revoking its membership in the ECHR.
There has been a great deal of activism and protest against this new bill and generally against the government’s approach to refugees and asylum seekers.
WORTH READING/LISTENING TO:
- Lighthouse report win award for investigation for “groundbreaking investigations into the inhuman treatment of migrants & asylum seekers entering Europe” — Projects — The Sigma Awards
- What’s it like living in a hotel seeking asylum in Britain? — Channel 4 News
- Increasing suffering | Floods cut roads and damage agricultural crops in camps in NE Syria • The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights (syriahr.com)
- BBC World Service — The Real Story, Is the asylum system broken?
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