Bad news about asylum in Greece
anti_R | 01.09.2003 22:46 | Anti-racism
Bad news about asylum in Greece
According to the statistics recently published by UNHCR, during the first six months of 2003, only 3 political asylums were granted in Greece, along with 19 residence permits for humanitarian reasons (which are annually reviewed). Totally, only 1% of the 2193 cases examined were granted refugee status, keeping the percentage at the same low level as last year, among the lowest in Europe.
Greek government shows a double face. From the one side it shows a democratic face and declares compliance with Geneva Convention and from the other side does not recognize protection even for the most outstanding cases of refugees who have been prosecuted in their countries of origin. Almost all asylum applications receive the general blind negative answer, which claims that they are all economic immigrants who came to Greece for improving their life and therefore do not have any right for protection under the refugee laws.
In a recent example of negative answer for an Afghan refugee with well known political background, the document sent from the ministry argued that his political opposition (left wing) was not a reason for danger in Afghanistan. And yet, it is well known that freedom of _expression and human rights are widely violated in Afghanistan, and the fall of Taleban under the USA campaign did not bring security to the country, on the contrary progressives, left parties and activists face everyday danger. It is only some weeks ago that the high court of Afghanistan condemned two journalists to death for blasphemy, because they criticized that Islam is applied in a reactionary way by some conservative leaders [Reporters without borders,
http://www.rsf.org/print.php3?id_article=7706 ].
However, Greek government does not hesitate to refuse asylum even with such ridiculous excuses as the aforementioned. The policy of Greek government towards asylum has been criticized by antiracist organizations and NGOs, even by UNHCR, however without any positive effect so far.
It seems that Greece has decided to play the role of the south-east “strong wall” of Fortress-Europe discouraging as much as it can the idea of asylum, with massive rejections of asylum applications and even with the denial to many refugees of the right to apply for asylum.
We ask all the progressive and antiracist organizations to put pressure on the Greek Government in order to reconsider its asylum policy and prove with facts that it is a democratic country, that condemns countries which abuse human rights and really respects the Geneva Convention about refugee protection.
According to the statistics recently published by UNHCR, during the first six months of 2003, only 3 political asylums were granted in Greece, along with 19 residence permits for humanitarian reasons (which are annually reviewed). Totally, only 1% of the 2193 cases examined were granted refugee status, keeping the percentage at the same low level as last year, among the lowest in Europe.
Greek government shows a double face. From the one side it shows a democratic face and declares compliance with Geneva Convention and from the other side does not recognize protection even for the most outstanding cases of refugees who have been prosecuted in their countries of origin. Almost all asylum applications receive the general blind negative answer, which claims that they are all economic immigrants who came to Greece for improving their life and therefore do not have any right for protection under the refugee laws.
In a recent example of negative answer for an Afghan refugee with well known political background, the document sent from the ministry argued that his political opposition (left wing) was not a reason for danger in Afghanistan. And yet, it is well known that freedom of _expression and human rights are widely violated in Afghanistan, and the fall of Taleban under the USA campaign did not bring security to the country, on the contrary progressives, left parties and activists face everyday danger. It is only some weeks ago that the high court of Afghanistan condemned two journalists to death for blasphemy, because they criticized that Islam is applied in a reactionary way by some conservative leaders [Reporters without borders,
http://www.rsf.org/print.php3?id_article=7706 ]. However, Greek government does not hesitate to refuse asylum even with such ridiculous excuses as the aforementioned. The policy of Greek government towards asylum has been criticized by antiracist organizations and NGOs, even by UNHCR, however without any positive effect so far.
It seems that Greece has decided to play the role of the south-east “strong wall” of Fortress-Europe discouraging as much as it can the idea of asylum, with massive rejections of asylum applications and even with the denial to many refugees of the right to apply for asylum.
We ask all the progressive and antiracist organizations to put pressure on the Greek Government in order to reconsider its asylum policy and prove with facts that it is a democratic country, that condemns countries which abuse human rights and really respects the Geneva Convention about refugee protection.
anti_R