AYS Weekend digest 17–18/07/2021: Frontex, the EU’s Fig Leaf
Arrivals to Samos denied / People told to stay inside Moria2 / Self harm in Corinth / Update from Greek Asylum Offices / June report from French-Italian Border / Vaccinations in Croatia / Hunger Strike continues in Belgium and more…
FEATURED: Frontex, the EU’s fig leaf
On Thursday July 15, the Frontex Scrutiny Working Group (FSWG) within the European Parliament delivered its final “Report on the fact-finding investigation on Frontex concerning alleged fundamental rights violations.”
The group was set up in January following the publication of a series of journalistic investigations into the role of Frontex in pushbacks and collective expulsions in the Aegean Sea. Published last autumn by Der Spiegel, Bellingcat, Lighthouse Reports, ARD and TV Asahi, these investigations showed how the European border agency actively participated in pushbacks carried out by the Greek coast guard.
The European Parliament was pressured into starting its own fact finding investigation after Frontex absolved itself in a ludicrous self-investigation, in which it fundamentally proposed to re-conceptualise illegal pushbacks as lawful border security actions, and people seeking refuge as potential threats.
The final report delivered on Thursday “did not find conclusive evidence on the direct performance of pushbacks and/or collective expulsions.” This unsurprising conclusion is the product of the very limited scope that the FSWG gave itself. As noted by Abolish Frontex, the FSWG “did not agree to hear the testimonies of those who have suffered human rights violations or even examine actual forensic evidence of pushbacks.” As a result:
the report hardly gives attention to what Frontex is actually doing at the borders and the harm and violence stemming from the agency’s actions.
Nonetheless — as media report — the findings highlight how Frontex has gathered “evidence in support of allegations of fundamental rights violations in [EU] member states with which it had a joint operation, but failed to address and follow-up on these violations promptly, vigilantly and effectively,” Other observers went further, pointing directly at Frontex Executive Director Fabrice Leggeri’s responsibilities in covering up pushbacks in the Aegean. According to EUobserver, Leggeri “allegedly destroyed incriminating evidence of an illegal pushback by the Greek coast guard.” And Der Spiegel states, “Leggeri personally instructed the fundamental rights officer to delete all information she had collected about the incident.”
In a normal world, this alone should be more than enough to signal the need to dismantle the agency, which in numerous occasions has justified its operations at sites of alleged human rights violations stating that its very presence would reduce abuse and violence.
The FSWG’s report focused on the managerial mismanagement within Frontex, especially regarding the failure to hire 40 fundamental rights officers, for which several deadlines have been missed. During the same time, however, the Executive Director has increased his own office’s staff to 63 people. By now, months since the last deadline, only 5 fully-fledged and independent fundamental rights monitors have been hired, together with 15 assistants.
As Lena K. points out, “the roots of the problem, though, are structural: Frontex is by law tasked with participating in the activities that produce human rights violations AND with reporting & preventing them, through internal mechanisms, within a policy context that privileges border protection.” In this way, Frontex ends up being a legitimator of violations, or as MEP Erik Marquardt puts it, a ‘fig leaf’.
GREECE
Arrivals to Samos Denied
Daphne Tolis reports that nine people thought to be from Syria and Palestine arrived on Saturday morning. While Alarm Phone state that a Palestinian man reached the Aegean island by swimming.
He is dehydrated and weak, but alive. He is urgently asking for protection in Europe.
Despite confirmation by an eye witness authorities state there were no arrivals.
People not allowed to leave Moria 2 on Lesvos
Plus thread on background situation.
Self harm and suicide in Corinth
Tolis also reports that a young man in Corinth detention centre has been self harming but was refused medical treatment. It is just over three months since a 24-year-old Kurdish man died by suicide at the same detention centre.
Operation of Regional Asylum Offices until 25.07.2021
The Asylum Service informs that in accordance with the measures for protecting public health and preventing the spread of COVID-19, the public can visit Regional Asylum Services only after scheduling an appointment. This includes interviews and registrations.
According to the relevant Joint Ministerial Decision of 16–7–2021, Regional Asylum Offices are going to serve only urgent registrations, as well as notification of decisions, lodging of appeals, delivery of travel documents and deposition of Dublin documents until July 25th 2021. A specific number of interviews will take place only for applicants who have been contacted and invited either by phone or officially by Service staff to confirm their interview appointment.
We remind you of the obligation to use a mask inside the building (and outside of it in case the premise is overcrowded).
ITALIAN/FRENCH BORDER
Kesha Niya June report
Police violence continues at the border between Ventimiglia and Menton with people being held for more than 48 hours in an overcrowded container and repeated reports of people being beaten. One person with a leg injury reported that the police took his crutch from him and used it to hit him. Pushbacks also remain high.
However, activists continue to work in solidarity with people on the move at the ‘Breakfast Spot’. You can find their needs list HERE.
CROATIA
Vaccinations for all
The Croatian government has announced that anyone can now receive a free COVID-19 vaccination regardless of their nationality or health insurance status.
BELGIUM
Hunger strike continues
After 55 days the hunger strikers decide to continue.
In between, we chose to keep going. It’s a difficult choice and responsibility to the members but also to everyone who supported us. Is it better to live like before or end this suffering hoping for a better life in the coming days or in the hereafter?
DENMARK
Protests and criticism of Denmark’s ‘cosy racism’
A comprehensive article by The Times listing the major changes in asylum and settlement policy especially in regard to Syrians can be found HERE (behind paywall).
UK
Long waits for asylum Decisions
Despite Home Office statements that the majority of asylum claims receive a decision within six months, The Guardian has recently revealed that there are more than 50,000 people who have been waiting more than six months for an initial decision. The new Nationality and Borders Bill would only exacerbate this problem as people who arrive in the UK ‘irregularly’ will be forced to wait six months before they can even begin the process of filing their initial claim.
Home Office continues persecution of Zimbabweans
The Home Office is continuing it’s attempts to deport people to Zimbabwe despite the risks they face or the lives they have built in the UK. They are currently threatening to deport a father of three British children two of whom have serious health problems.
GENERAL
Canada to accept human rights defenders and journalists as refugees
The Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Minister Marco Mendicino has announced that Canada will take in 250 people a year under this new scheme, plus their families. The focus will be on people at heightened risk, such as women, journalists and LGBTQ2 rights advocates.
WORTH READING
‘They Just Left Us’: Greece Is Accused of Setting Migrants Adrift at Sea. Article by New York Times (behind paywall).
COVID-19 and Crime: The Impact of the Pandemic on Human Trafficking — new report published by the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) “illustrates the devastating impact of COVID-19 on victims and survivors of human trafficking and highlights the increased targeting and exploitation of children.”
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