Joint Action for the creation of an initiative of organisations in relation to push-backs

49 civil society organisations co-signed the joint action for the creation of an initiative of organisations against push-backs

30 March 2021

Over the last years, the undersigned organisations have been receiving allegations of push-backs at the country’s land and sea borders. This practice seems to have now acquired systematic characteristics and constitutes an official state policy aiming at the prevention of refugee and migrant flows.

Although not a new phenomenon, this policy of land and sea push-backs has, however, escalated in an unprecedented fashion over the last year, both in terms of frequency of incidents and of the means employed. Dozens of complaints, substantiated by evidence (videos, testimonies and photos), have been recorded.

Of the utmost concern is the reported tolerance and/or involvement of FRONTEX as well as the inaction in conducting a substantial inquiry into the public allegations connected to it. This policy not only constitutes a violation of fundamental principles of international law but also poses a direct threat to people’s lives.

We emphatically point out that:

• The deterrence of entry as well as the return of persons who have entered Greece, without respecting the legal procedures for the apprehension and registration of the latter and without examining their potential application for international protection, infringes the fundamental principles of international law which prohibit the return of persons to a country where they are at risk of persecution, torture and inhuman or degrading treatment.
• The protection of human life is the ultimate responsibility and obligation of the authorities
• Targeting and criminalising civil society organisations and citizens who record and publicise push-back incidents at the land and sea borders of the country is dangerous for the Rule of Law and aims at consolidating a climate of fear and of tolerance towards illegal practices

Several of the undersigned organizations have already submitted reports and complaints to international and European bodies, aiming at the effective investigation and prosecution of illegal push-back practices. In addition, we now call on civil society organisations and bodies to come together in an initiative to address the below demands to national, European and international bodies:

• The immediate end of illegal push-back practices that endanger the Rule of Law and fundamental human rights
• The establishment of an independent mechanism for the systematic recording and substantiation of reported push-back cases
• The protection of the victims and the facilitation of their access to justice for the substantial investigation of their complaints
• The protection of the organisations and citizens that record and publicise incidents of push-backs

The undersigned organisations

1. ARSIS – Association for the Social Support of Youth, Athens
2. HIAS – Greece
3. Refugee Support Aegean
4. Greek Council for Refugees
5. HumanRights360
6. ΕΛΛΗΝΙΚΗ ΕΝΩΣΗ ΓΙΑ ΤΑ ΔΙΚΑΙΩΜΑΤΑ ΤΟΥ ΑΝΘΡΩΠΟΥ
7. International Rescue Committee (IRC)
8. ΣΩΜΑΤΕΙΟ ΥΠΟΣΤΗΡΙΞΗΣ ΔΙΕΜΦΥΛΙΚΩΝ (ΣΥΔ)
9. Refugee Legal Support (RLS)
10. Greek Helsinki Monitor
11. Greek Forum of Migrants
12. METAdrasi- Action for Migration and Development
13. ECHO100PLUS
14. Refugee Rights Europe (RRE)
15. Symbiosis-School of Political Studies in Greece, affiliated to the Council of Europe Network of Schools
16. Positive Voice
17. NAOMI, Ecumenical Workshop for Refugees
18. Diakonie Oesterreich (Austria)
19. Equal Rights Beyond Borders
20. Glocal Roots
21. Chios Solidarity
22. Irida Women’s Center
23. EuroMed Rights
24. Mobile Info Team
25. Europe Must Act
26. GREEK FORUM OF MIGRANTS
27. LESVOS SOLIDARITY
28. Coexistence and Communication in the Aegean (Siniparxi) Mytilini
29. Legal Centre Lesvos
30. Fenix – Humanitarian Legal Aid
31. “ΛΑΘΡΑ;” – Επιτροπή Αλληλεγγύης στους Πρόσφυγες Χίου
32. CENTRE FOR RESEARCH ON WOMEN’S ISSUES – DIOTIMA
33. Mobile Info Team
34. Still I Rise
35. Mare Liberum
36. RAD MUSIC INTERNATIONAL
37. The Hope Project
38. Attika Human Support
39. Choose Love
40. BORDERLINE EUROPE E.V.
41. Boat Refugee Foundation/Stichting Bootvluchteling
42. SolidarityNow
43. Lighthouse Relief (LHR)
44. Better Days
45. Changemakers Lab
46. Irida Women’s Center
47. ANTIGONE – Information and Documentation Centre on Racism, Ecology, Peace and Non Violence
48. Ecological Movement of Thessaloniki
49. Advocates Abroad