According to its own statements, the UN refugee agency UNHCR has registered „several hundred cases“ of suspected „pushbacks“ in the Aegean since the beginning of the year. „We expect the Greek authorities to investigate these incidents,“ said UNHCR representative in Greece, Mireille Girard, according to a „Spiegel“ report yesterday. In all cases, the organization had its own information that indicated illegal „pushbacks“ on land or at sea.
The relevant information was given to the authorities. Since June 2020, in joint research with “Report Mainz” and the research organization Lighthouse Reports, “Spiegel” has shown that the Greek coast guard is stopping refugee boats in the Aegean, demolishing the inflatable boat engine and leaving people behind in Turkish waters.
This illegal rejection of asylum seekers, known as “pushbacks”, violates European and international law. The EU border protection agency Frontex is also under strong pressure because of the allegations of illegal migrants being rejected.
