There’s been huge relief for thousands of people on the move in Greece in recent days as the Greek government’s declaration that Turkey is a safe third country for people seeking asylum from certain countries has been ruled invalid by the Council of State.
In June 2021, the Greek government declared that people seeking asylum from Afghanistan, Somalia, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Syrians can be returned to Turkey. This meant that thousands of people seeking asylum would face an “admissibility procedure” before their asylum claim was assessed.
This had a devastating effect on thousands of people seeking safety. From the start, we pointed out that this procedure is:
- Unlawful: the Greek government’s decision was based on a single report, which actually contradicts the government’s position.
- Inhumane: Turkey is not a safe country for people seeking asylum. This has been demonstrated through their withdrawal from key treaties, hundreds of thousands of people being returned to Syria, the persecution of minorities and a judicial system that does not meet basic standards of independence.
- Unworkable: Turkey hasn’t accepted the return of anyone from Greece since March 2020.
Those who are the victims of this procedure are kept in limbo, at risk of exploitation and lacking access to basic services, including healthcare.
We’re pleased to say that the Council of State has finally agreed with our assessment, and we now expect to see an end to this inhumane procedure.
