"Unaccompanied minors were mixed with the rest of the adults. There was not any special treatment by the authorities in this facility toward the minors"

The respondent is an Egyptian national who reported arriving in Crete in August 2025 and was subjected to the suspension of asylum applications. Based on the description and photographs shared with the respondent, the unofficial detention facility in which he was held for 16 days was identified as the Hellenic Coast Guard security building in Heraklion. He reported that the people detained in the facility amounted to approximately 150.

 

The respondent described the treatment and the conditions in the facility as “very harsh”, including limited supply of water, unsanitary conditions in the toilets and no access to showers. As he detailed: “We did not shower for the whole period, there was only one tap for water and it was limited, there was not enough. The toilet was very dirty. [...] There was just toilet paper, no water. So, we got water just for drinking, not for showers.” He added that they had to ask permission to use the toilets and that one officer would be standing by the door while in use. Reportedly, this represented the only way to access outdoor spaces since the toilets were placed in the courtyard, but otherwise no access to open spaces was provided. The respondent described the food as “okay” and reported that only blankets were supplied but no mattresses or beds to sleep on. He explained that only families were hosted in a separate area, while everyone else - including unaccompanied minors - would share the same space: “From 10 year-old of age, until old age, [we were] all mixed. Unaccompanied minors were mixed with the rest of the adults. There was not any special treatment by the authorities in this facility toward the minors, and there weren't any NGOs coming specifically asking for minors, it was the same treatment for all of us, all ages.” 

 

The respondent reported that a doctor and two nurses were visiting the facility for medical check-ups, but no interpretation services were available. As he explained: “There wasn't anybody, no translator at all. There was just one person from our own group who spoke English, he was the one translating with the doctor and the authorities.” Reportedly, everyone’s phone, along with the passcode to unlock it and other belongings, were taken by the authorities and given back four days after their arrival in Sintiki. In his words: “Since we arrived they took our phones away, plus other belongings, like chargers, headphones, everything but the clothes.” He also reported not receiving any official documentation, but only a serial number to use for food collection and to see a doctor.

 

The respondent reported being transferred to Sintiki in August 2025, being photographed by the authorities and receiving blankets but nothing else. Reportedly, after 2 days of arrival his fingerprints were taken. As he detailed: “they also asked us about why we came to this country, and also if we have any health conditions.” The respondent described the hygienic conditions in the facility as very unsanitary and affecting both his mental and physical health: “I am also mentally and psychologically affected, because of the bad smell of the space. The space where I stay is not cleaned. [...] There is nobody coming from outside to clean. We do clean ourselves. We don't get items for cleaning the space, we use mostly water, we don’t get soap or stuff to clean with. We do collect the bins ourselves and take them out.” He added not receiving any items for personal hygiene such as soap or toothpaste, and sharing his container with 9 people, each of whom had access to a bed.

 

The respondent disclosed details about a concerning healthcare situation due to an existing chronic medical condition he suffered before leaving Egypt, which was aggravated by the unsanitary conditions of the facility as well as the insufficient medical attention received. As he further explained: “I have made my paper from Egypt proving my condition [...] The paper states that I am not supposed to be in smoky, crowded or dusty places. [...] They took me to the hospital once in Sintiki, I fell down, I fainted and I lost control. [...] I met a general doctor who first checked my heart rate and gave me medicine [...]. Every time I go back to the facility, my medicine runs out, I go back to the hospital. Every time I came back to the hospital they said no medicine was available. [...] The medicine is not helping anymore, I think I should have seen a specialist. My condition got worse.” He also disclosed that while detained in Crete he was denied proper medical treatment and only offered first aid care. Additionally, he explained about the multiple factors that exacerbated his health condition: “There are many factors that make me feel worse. The main reason is that my medicine has changed (between Egypt and the one I get here in Sintiki). Once I asked to get the same medicine as in Egypt, they told me ‘we cannot provide you with the same, we don't have it’. The second factor is that people smoke inside, I find it as something that worsens my condition.” As he concluded towards the end of the interview, this, coupled with the general detention conditions, had also had a significant impact on his mental health and wellbeing more generally. In his words: “Since we arrived here our situation is getting worse, including psychologically, because we don't know what is going on with the rules, everyday things change, some people get released. It is very stressful.”