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PRESS RELEASE: INTERIM MEASURES GRANTED FOR 49 TURKISH AND SYRIAN ASYLUM SEEKERS ON A GREEK ISLET IN THE EVROS RIVER. GREECE YET TO COMPLY.

On the 16th August at 06.26 EEST, the Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN) was alerted to a group of Syrian and Turkish asylum seekers stranded on an islet in the Evros river close to Didymoteicho, in Greek territory. The Syrian nationals of the group stated that they were seeking asylum due to the war in their country which has placed them at risk of serious physical harm, and the Turkish nationals are from the Kurdish minority and therefore at risk of persecution in Turkey. They reported that they had been stuck on the islet since the 14th August 2022. The group includes nine women, 16 children and eight individuals who are particularly vulnerable and require medical attention. One is four months pregnant, two are asthmatic, one is diabetic and suffers from high blood pressure, another suffers from high blood pressure, two of the children are having difficulty breathing, and another child has a severe visual impairment. We immediately relayed this information to the competent authorities: the Hellenic Police, Frontex, the Ombudsperson, the National Human Rights Institution, and UNHCR. Our operatives on the ground called the emergency 112 line at 18.23 EEST on 16th August who assured us that they were aware of the group and a search and rescue (SAR) operation was underway. The following morning, on 17th August at 09.27 EEST the group again shared their live location which showed them on the islet, stating that nobody had approached the islet the previous evening or over the night.

 

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URGENT UPDATE: Briefing on the continuous violations of the rule of law in Greece as people still stranded on islet in Evros

On the 27th July, BVMN published a briefing which detailed an update on the situation at the Evros border, specifically regarding pushbacks in the month of July. At the time of writing, one emerging case was detailed which involved a large transit group who had been stranded on an islet for over ten days, despite being granted interim measures.

The following briefing provides an update on the critical situation for the same transit group who have been stranded on an islet in the Evros river and violently pushed back and forth between Greece and Turkey over a period of three weeks. Despite the ECtHR indicating a Rule 39 measure mandating the Greek state to carry out search and rescue operations, as well as provide medical support, access to Greek territory and food and water, the group remains on the islet today in a severely deteriorating condition. Alarmingly, the transit group reported that a young 5-year-old girl died in the early hours of 9th August 2022, as well as a 9-year-old girl being in urgent need of medical care. BVMN joins the Greek Council of Refugees and Human Rights 360 to urgently call upon the Greek authorities to carry out search and rescue and provide the transit group access to their fundamental rights. The briefing further makes recommendations to the European Commission to hold Greece accountable for such violations.

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Briefing for Policymakers: Illegal pushbacks from islets in the Evros River continue

At the start of July, BVMN published a report on the phenomenon of groups being stranded on islets in the Evros river border between Greece and Turkey, and the increasing frequency with which human rights groups are filing for interim measures at the ECtHR. In the report, we highlighted the shifting modus operandi of human rights violations at the Evros border and the concurrent criminalisation of those responding to them. Read alongside the recent investigation by Lighthouse Reports, LeMonde, Spiegel, the Guardian, and ARD76 which uncovered systematic exploitation of people-on-the-move, it is evident that the mass proliferation of human rights violations in Greece are contributing to an overall erosion of the rule of law.

The following briefing details political responses that followed the publication of the report, updates on the situation regarding pushbacks in the Evros region in the last month, and recommendations to the Greek government, European Border and Coast Guard Agency (FRONTEX), and the European Commission.

 

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Balkan Regional Report – June 2022

Summary and analysis of pushbacks and internal violence documented by BVMN during the month of JUNE

In June, the Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN) shared 14 testimonies of pushbacks impacting 676 people-on-the-move (POM) across the Balkans and Greece. This report brings together first-hand testimonies from a range of countries in the region to look at the way European Union states and other actors are affecting systemic violence towards people crossing borders.

Continue reading “Balkan Regional Report – June 2022”

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Call for Volunteers

open call

BVMN is looking for two volunteers to join the UN Advocacy Team and support the Advocacy Coordinators and wider Network in advancing its strategic goals. This role provides a high degree of autonomy with the ability to help shape key advocacy outputs and therefore would suit a candidate who is driven and self-motivated. The United Nations advocacy team plays a key part in BVMN’s multi-targeted approach to advocacy. Our team works to bring evidence of mass human rights violations to relevant UN fora, hold governments accountable, and establish pushbacks and the rights of refugees and migrants as an international priority.

The deadline for applications is the July 20th, 2022 (midnight CET). We aim to review and respond to all applicants by July 25th. We look forward to hearing from you!

key tasks
  • Assist with the production and coordination of evidentiary submission to United Nations Treaty Bodies, Special Rapporteurs or other International Human Rights Bodies.
  • Draft speeches, briefs or reports to be used during UN forums and events.
  • Participate in meetings and develop institutional relations with Ambassadors, representatives from Permanent Missions and UN Treaty Bodies’ Committee members.
  • Develop agenda setting campaigns to help shape international priorities.
  • Horizon scan for new advocacy opportunities.
Personal requirements
  • Be able to work independently and commit to at least 3 months.
  • Demonstrable interest in human rights, migration, refugees or the United Nations.
  • Previous experience working on international advocacy is desired but not essential for the role.
  • Able to commit to a weekly coordination meeting held in the evening over zoom.
  • Align with the anti-fascist, anti-racist values of the network and strive to work in a collective dynamic.
What we offer
  • The chance to join an international and highly motivated team.
  • The ability to see the direct impact of your advocacy work in international human rights bodies and policies.
  • You will be seen as a full member of the team.
  • As a registered non-profit association we can issue you an appreciative internship certificate and recommendation letters (upon request).
About us

The Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN) is an independent network of NGOs and associations mainly based in the Balkan regions, Greece and Turkey, that monitors human rights violations at the external borders of the European Union and advocates to stop the violence exerted against people-on-the-move.