The European Court of Human Rights has found Greece in breach of migrant rights due to illegal deportations without proper assessment.
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) ruled that Greece violated the rights of asylum seekers by unlawfully returning them to Turkey without evaluating their claims. The court deemed these actions “systematic pushbacks,” citing evidence of repeated expulsions from the Evros border area. This Tuesday’s ruling represents the first official condemnation of Greece for these practices, according to media outlets.
The case originated with a Turkish citizen, A.R.E., who alleged forcible expulsion from Greece in 2019 without the chance to seek asylum. The court determined that her rights under the European Convention on Human Rights were violated, including her right to international protection. The court awarded A.R.E. €20,000 in compensation.
The ECHR’s decision relied on evidence from NGOs and the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), which have repeatedly expressed concern about Greece’s border policies. The court’s judgment stated: “There were strong indications to suggest that there had existed, at the time of the events alleged, a systematic practice of ‘pushbacks’ of third-country nationals by the Greek authorities, from the Evros [border] region to Turkey.” These expulsions, it added, occurred without due process or the opportunity to apply for asylum.
Greek officials have consistently denied accusations of pushbacks, claiming their border security measures comply with international and EU law. According to news reports, the Greek government hasn’t yet officially responded to the ECHR’s ruling.
The issue of asylum seekers remains a major challenge in the European Union. In the first half of 2024, EU nations received approximately 513,000 asylum applications, suggesting the annual total might reach one million, mirroring 2023 levels, according to The Times.