INTERVIEW: The Head of AITIMA Spyros Rizakos speaks on the situation of refugees in Greece and on the work of the organisation.
Offering legal counseling to asylum seekers.
A day at "Aitima"
News
06/03/2020: Open letter by 85 organizations: Protect our laws and humanity.
We call upon the Greek Government to: • Withdraw the illegal and unconstitutional Emergency Legislative Decree and to respect the obligations of the Greek State concerning the protection of human life and rescue at sea and at the land borders . • Immediately stop returning people to states where their lives and freedom are at risk, or where they are at risk…
Read more05/03/2020: Announcement of the Racist Violence Recording Network
The Racist Violence Recording Network (RVRN) strongly condemns the recent incidents targeting refugees, asylum seekers, and humanitarian workers on the Greek Aegean islands and at Evros. http://rvrn.org/category/english/?fbclid=IwAR2czyeoI9egqYOvF3WwRSVubm2WtfIS5o1nZ_E6DZiTw6ErhXJMB5AbQbU
Read more25/02/2020: Civil society organisations' open letter for the protection of unaccompanied children in Greece.
Read the letter
Read more14/11/2019: OUR WORK ON FAMILY REUNIFICATION
The circumstances under which refugees flee their country and move seeking protection, many times lead to separation of family members. Sometimes family members flee together but separate during their journey. Other times flee their country in different times. In these cases refugees follow the family reunification procedure under the Dublin Regulation.Offering free legal assistance to asylum seekers asking for family…
Read more05.11.2019 - Worrying developments regarding asylum in Greece
On 31.10.2019 a new law on asylum was passed from the Greek Parliament. The draft law published a few days ago, which was passed with some minor changes, received heavy criticism from UNHCR, the National Commission for Human Rights, the Ombudsman and human-rights organizations. According to them many provisions of the law are dangerous for the rights of asylum seekers. Read…
Read more01/01/2019: LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES
Duration: 12 months (January 2019 - December 2019) Offering assistance to asylum seekers in order to get international protection. Offering assistance in family reunification cases The project is implemented in partnership with the Danish Refugee Council which is funded by the European Commission's Humanitarian Aid and Civil Protection department. http://ec.europa.eu/echo/
Read more02/09/2019: JOINT PRESS RELEASE REGARDING GERMAN-GREEK ADMINISTRATIVE ARRANGEMENT: LESS THAN 48H FOR AN ILLEGAL DEPORTATION, BUT STILL NO RETURN ORDERED…
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28.08.2019-Article in Efsyn newspaper: States of exception not appropriate for Greece
STATES OF EXCEPTION NOT APPROPRIATE FOR GREECE By Spyros Rizakos* We were very sad to hear about the loss of life of an unaccompanied minor refugee in Moria, Lesvos, Reception and Identification Center . According to the local Police, another minor who was in a state of frenzy attacked him over trivial matters and injured him fatally. For those of us who follow refugee…
Read more26/06/2019: Press release regarding two returns of asylum seekers from Germany to Greece
The returs took place in the context of the "Administrative Arrangement" between Germany and Greece, thus by-passing the Dublin III Regulation. Read the press release
Read more26/06/2019: Press release regarding two returns of asylum seekers from Germany to Greece
The returs took place in the context of the "Administrative Arrangement" between Germany and Greece, thus by-passing the Dublin III Regulation. Read the press release
Read more29/05/2019: Aitima's initiative for detention facilities
AITIMA INITIATIVE FOR DETENTION FACILITIES AITIMA started an initiative to call on the authorities to stop using unsuitable detention facilities for irregular migrants and asylum seekers. In the context of this initiative we conducted meetings with the competent authorities and other stakeholders. There was also a joint open letter to the competent authorities signed by 16 actors. Read: The Open letter http://www.aitima.gr/images/pdf/OpenLetterfordetention.pdf The press release for the…
Read more16/05/2019: Joint open letter for detention facilities
Today NGO Aitima together with 15 other actors from civil society as well as from academia sent an open letter to the Greek Minister for Citizen Protection and the Chief of the Greek Police asking them to stop holding irregular migrants and asylum seekers in inappropriate facilities. The use of inappropriate detention facilities has been a long-standing problem in Greece and…
Read more15/04/2019: MEETING WITH THE ITALIAN ORGANIZATION ASGI
The Italian organization ASGI, which is AITIMA partner in the context of international networks such as ECRE and PICUM, is visiting Greece to be updated regarding the situation in our country in relation with the EU-Turkey Statement. In the context of this visit, we met a member of ASGI team in order that we inform her about the current situation…
Read more17.12.2018-OUR WORK ON ADMINISTRATIVE DETENTION DURING 2018
AITIMA continued monitoring the system of administrative detention of irregular immigrants and asylum seekers and offering free legal assistance to detainees through regular visits to detention areas in Attica and Korinthos.Based on our findings we appealed to the competent authorities so that the rights of the detainees are observed and we also informed the Ombudsman and the UNHCR. The issues we…
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06/11/2018: Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights report on her visit to Greece
Migrant reception conditions are well below international standards, especially on the Aegean islands (...)The Commissioner urges the authorities to reconsider the geographical restriction which prevents migrants arriving in the islands from leaving. Read about the report: https://www.coe.int/en/web/commissioner/-/greece-should-safeguard-social-rights-for-all-and-improve-the-reception-and-integration-of-migrants?fbclid=IwAR17n1rGLyTB_C-VtSDsOrKga6gOfuFhAPaCgFBm5tJXqgTtnh5pFlk-R18
Read more06/11/2018: ARTICLES IN GREEK
Asylum seekers’ appeals pending for three years Over 3.000 asylum seekers' appeals in Greece are pending for three years. Here is an article in Greek illustrating this issue. The article is based on AITIMA documentation. Link to the article: http://www.efsyn.gr/arthro/xehasmenes-aitiseis-asyloy?fbclid=IwAR2xngD-IfcBIU-vxmRxEjPqhj0HrZm60CmbmnzJ6PAvqfNZDjsQB-9a-Lk Access to the asylum procedure is still not ensured at the Greek mainland. A group of Iranians who were demanding registration out…
Read more28/08/2018: Cooperation with the Afghan Community in Greece
On 29 August we start weekly provision of free legal assistance to asylum seekers at the premises of the Afghan Community.
Read more02/07/2018: Meeting with the Secretary General of Human Rights
Today we visited the Secretary General for Human Rights, Ms Maria Yannakaki, who had accepted our request for a meeting. During the meeting we raised issues concerning the asylum procedure, the protection of unaccompanied minors and administrative detention.
Read more16/04/2018: Press release: Greece: Persisting problems in the asylum procedure
One year ago, our organization released the report “Asylum Seekers ON HOLD” whereby we highlighted serious problems in the asylum procedure. We remain very concerned, because most of these problems persist and at the same time new ones have emerged. Read the press release
Read more19.03.2018-OUR WORK IN 2017: A brief presentation
LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO ASYLUM SEEKERS AND REFUGEES (January-December 2017) We provided assistance to 2385 people. MONITORING ASYLUM PROCEDURES (January-April 2017) We compiled the report Asylum seekers ON HOLD http://aitima.gr/images/pdf/onholdenglishreport.pdf OFFERING LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO VULNERABLE DETAINEES AND MONITORING THE DETENTION SYSTEM (October-December 2017) We conducted 32 visits to detention centers We interviewed 143 detainees We investigated 69 cases MATERIAL SUPPORT TO VULNERABLE FAMILIES (January-July 2017) 935 vulnerable people assisted for…
Read more14/01/2018: PRESS RELEASE:THE ASYLUM CAMPAIGN CONDEMNS THE SERIOUS HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS CONCERNING THE ASYLUM CASES OF THE TURKISH MILITARY OFFICIALS
The arrest a few days ago of the Turkish refugee inside the building of the Asylum Service undoubtedly constitutes an unprecedented unlawful action against the very core of the rule of law. The Turkish refugee had been granted international protection by virtue of a decision of the Independent Appeals’ Committee and he was subsequently put in administrative detention following the…
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