AYS News Digest 27/6/2022: UK Government hides exact numbers of asylum seeker deaths in Home Office accommodation
Greece plans to extend border fence with Turkey/ Deaths of asylum seekers in Home Office Accommodation/Update on the situation on Morocco-Spain border/Violence and racism against Syrian refugees in Turkey worsens/EP Justice Committee meeting with Notis Mitarachi/2 bodies found on Lesbos beach/Refugee children in Calais prevented from accessing school/ AYS looking for volunteers in Croatia!/Much more….
TURKEY
Violent physical attacks and hate speech on the rise against Syrian refugees in Turkey
Within a month, there were two separate killings of 2 Syrians solely within Istanbul.
A Syrian refugee currently residing in Istanbul, stated:
“Incidents against Syrians are being repeated everywhere in Turkey, especially in schools and the workplace. Hate speech and racism are currently at its highest levels, especially by political parties that incite against Syrian refugees.”
“I face almost daily racism by Turkish youth, not to mention that the employer pays me a wage according to his liking and refused to obtain a work permit for me. If the authorities know about that, I will be the culprit. But I did not find any other job.”
You can read the full article here: Syrian refugees recount harassment, abuse in Turkey
In the last 2 days, Turkey has deported 350 Afghans
GREECE
Greece plans to extend the land frontier fence with Turkey
Greece has recently been experienced another in asylum seekers trying to enter the country from Turkey. The number of people has increased by roughly 20% compared to last year’s figures.
As a response to this increase, and the ongoing political tensions between Greece and Turkey, the government plans to add another 80km of barbed wire and steel to the 40km border fence.
Alarm Phone have alerted the Greek Coast Guard of a boat, with 90 people on it, that is sinking in the Aegean
However, they lost contact with the boat and the Coast Guard has claimed they conducted a search operation, failing to find said boat.
The Civil Liberties Committee have met with Notis Mitarachi, Minister for Migration and Asylum of the Hellenic Republic, today to discuss pushback allegations at Greek borders
You can watch the meeting here:
Tourists found two bodies on Lesbos beach
The Greek Coast Guard has confirmed that they were two male individuals who had tried to cross from Turkey to Greece.
UKRAINE
Europol has identified a high risk of human trafficking and exploitation of Ukrainian refugee women
Investigators checked 125 online platforms in 14 different countries, identifying 9 suspected human traffickers. Almost 42 suspicious online platforms were identified.
Europol has issued a warning to host countries, urging them to be vigilant and ensure there is appropriate safeguarding and monitoring of any potential human trafficking.
5.2 million Ukrainian refugees have been displaced across Europe — one of the largest mass displacements since World War 2
3.2 million have been granted temporary protection in the EU, with central and eastern european countries hosting a significantly larger proportion of Ukrainians compared to western european countries.
SERBIA
The latest Info Park newsletter stated:
“No medical aid for refugees in Serbia. On 8 June, Info Park registered third case in the last two weeks of refugees being denied medical aid in health centers across Serbia. A day prior, young man from Afghanistan with severe signs of concussion was identified by the Info Park’s mobile team. The young man was taken to OSP Miksalište where the workers of Serbian Commissariat for Refugees and Migrantions (SCRM) called for an ambulance, and he was transferred to Clinical Center in Belgrade. The next day, June 8th, the young man was seen in the park again, still in poor health condition, showing signs of dizziness, balance problems, head pressure, nausea, vomiting, and blurry vision. He told IP’s team that after he was taken to the hospital, he was left in the waiting room and was not treated nor anyone from the medical staff talked to him. After 4–5 hours of waiting, he left the hospital on his own and returned to the park where other refugees were trying to help him by bringing him water and keeping him in a lying position. He told IP’s team that he will try to go to the reception center in Adaševci and ask for medical help there. On the following day, June 9th, Info Park learned that the young man was accepted in RC in Adaševci, however he was only able to receive painkillers for the camp’s doctor and his condition didn’t improve. Unfortunately, there are no existing mechanisms to prevent the neglect and discrimination of health institutions towards the refugees in Serbia since there are no organizations capable of accompanying the refugees and migrants during hospital visits on a regular basis. A few days following the incident, another 18-year-old man from Afghanistan with acute medical condition was accompanied by SCRM staff and accepted and treated at the same medical facility. This only proves that the accessibility of the medical aid varies considerably depending on the presence of the NGOs or other humanitarian staff.”
SEA/SAR
Between 19th to the 15th June 2022, 480 individuals have been captured and brought back to Libya
MV Louise Michel Twitter post — ‘A Message from Our Guests to Europe’
SOS Mediterranee International have rescued 66 people, after they spent 48 hours at sea in a rubber dinghy:
EU
The Annual General Conference of the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) is currently taking place in Brussels (27th — 28th June)
First stage of the European Pact on Migration and Asylum to be introduced
This Pact is meant to act as a ‘solidarity plan’, seeking to encourage EU states to relocate asylum seekers arriving at European shores. If states do not want to be a part of this initiative, they are obligated to provide financial support instead.
CROATIA
Are You Syrious are looking for volunteers!
SPAIN
As previously mentioned in the AYS News Digest 24/6/22, on Friday, 24th June, 2000 people tried to cross the Moroccan-Spanish border, into Melilla
500 people succeeded, however, the death toll has now risen to 23, with an extra 76 people being injured. Some organisations have claimed that the death toll is likely to be as high as 37.
The Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez, called this a “violent assault” and was the work of “mafias who traffic human beings”.
Ylva Johansson further stated that she was deeply concerned with the loss of life, however as Lena K points out below, there is no sense of accountability on the part of EU border policy.
InfoMigrants recounts extreme border violence, with border guards pulling people off the fences, and then beating them.
*CAUTION: The videos below show extremely disturbing images that could be triggering*
Despite a call for an investigation into this disaster, photos have emerged of Moroccan officials digging graves. Autopsies are also not being carried out. The Spanish government have not stated whether they will open an investigation and they have not provided any explanations for what happened.
FRANCE
In Calais, certain refugee children are prevented from attending school
StreetPress has reported on this illegal practice:
Utopia 56 updates on the situation of around 60 young people who have been forced to camp out on the street for the last 30 days
UK
Since 2020, dozens of asylum seekers, who were recognised as particularly vulnerable by the Home Office, have passed away in government accommodation
The Observer and Liberty Investigates have discovered that between April 2016 and May 2022, there was 107 deaths in Home Office accommodation.
In addition, since January 2020, there have 82 deaths. Around 40 individuals were considered to have had a ‘safeguarding element’ which meant the Home Office viewed them as having particular vulnerabilities that needed to be addressed and monitored.
Many believe there are ‘systemic failures’ and gaps in the safeguarding policies within the Home Office.
FURTHER RESOURCES:
- The New Humanitarian — ‘Taliban quake response, Amhara massacre, and South Asia’s monsoon — hit millions: The Cheat Sheet’.
- Jeff Crisp, MOAS — “Detained and Deported: The UK’s Abusive Approach to New Refugee Arrivals”
- Heinrich Boll Stiftung — “More (about) Borders, less (about) Humans: Media Coverage of Migration and Asylum Seeking in Greece”
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