Incarcerating the Marginalised - The Fight Against Alleged "Smugglers" on the Greek Hotspot Islands
On an almost daily basis, people in Greece are sentenced to draconian prison terms and fines under the pretext of "fighting smuggling".
In cooperation with Deportation Monitoring Aegean and Aegean Migrant Solidarity (formerly Christian Peacemaker Teams), the report "Incercerating the Marginalised - The Fight Against Alleged "Smugglers" on the Greek Hotspot Islands" was produced.
This report shows how the laws of the European Union and the Greek state target the very people they claim to protect. The European Union not only criminalises those supporting migrants and refugees; following pressure by the EU, Greece has established the necessary legal framework to criminalise people on the move themselves for their own flight. Those affected are often refugees themselves, steering a boat from Turkey to the Greek islands.
The analysis follows the fate of 48 people from their arrest to the courtroom. Without exception, they were sentenced in court proceedings that undermine basic legal standards. In most cases, a life sentence is imposed.
Those affected are locked up as scapegoats of a failed European migration policy.
The report can be dowloaded here in English and German.
Wednesday, 6th December 2020
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