Greece: 14 illegally deported migrants claim for their right to be granted the right to apply for asylum

Urgent appeal addressed to the Special rapporteur on the human rights of migrants.

1st February 2021

On November 28th, 2020, 18 migrants landed on the Greek Island of Lesbos from Turkey to apply for asylum and were forcibly returned to Turkish waters by members of the Greek security forces almost immediately, the following day. The migrants claim that they were arrested, violently put in a boat for their transfer in Turkey. The Greek authorities and security forces have ignored their request to apply for asylum and not to be returned in a country where they risk being arrested, ill-treated and eventually returned to their countries of origin where they risk being tortured.

The Working Group on Migration and Torture, Jointly with The Greek Helsinki Monitor (GHM) urge the Special Rapporteur on the human rights of migrants, to take action and issue an urgent appeal to Greek authorities.

Read the full appeal here.