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Asylum seekers are detained by the country's law enforcement agencies as they enter Italy from Greece. They are being shipped back to Greece in containers. Among these asylum seekers are children as well as adult men and women. They are subjected to extremely inhumane conditions on board ships while being sent back to Greece.
The behavior of the Italian government with asylum seeking refugees has been highlighted in a joint investigative report by Al-Jazeera. The report was released this week. A number of media outlets, including the Netherlands-based investigative journalism organization Lighthouse Reports, worked with Al-Jazeera to produce the report.
An asylum seeker from Afghanistan said he was locked in a container along with many others. It was only 6 and a half feet long and about 4 feet wide. A bottle of water was also given. The food had no smell.
Every year, a large number of asylum seekers from different parts of the world, especially Asia and Africa, migrate to European countries. These asylum seekers first flocked to the shores of Greece and Italy, two countries across the Mediterranean Sea. From there they try to enter other European countries, or seek help from the United Nations or other voluntary organizations.
The investigative report spoke to some asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Syria and Iraq. They said they were detained at the Adriatic Sea ports of Venice, Ancona, Bari and Brindisi while entering Italy last year. They were then sent to Greece by commercial ship.
Crews on some ships have confirmed sending asylum seekers back to Greece. They call these places of detention on ships 'prisons'.
Those asylum seekers have highlighted their plight on the ferry on the way. According to many of them, they were kept in dark metal boxes and small rooms on the ship. No food or water was given. Some asylum seekers have been held for more than a day in such dire conditions.
One of the victims, an Afghan citizen, said he was locked in a container along with many others. It was only six and a half feet long and about four feet wide. A bottle of water was also given. The food had no smell. They had to stay there accepting all the hardships.
Many asylum seekers were handcuffed to metal pipes on the ship, according to reports. And the investigation revealed three such cases, where evidence was found that children under the age of 18 were sent back to Greece.
Meanwhile, the information given by the Greek government says that more than 230 asylum seekers from Italy have been sent back to Greece in the last two years. However, various human rights organizations believe that this number is much higher. Because accurate information about returned refugees is not always officially recorded.
For years people have been illegally sent back from #Italy to #Greece in secret prisons on private ships.
— Sara Creta (@saracreta) January 18, 2023
After months of investigating, we’ve found where asylum seekers, including children, are being detained.
THREAD 🧵 pic.twitter.com/1rxSzdLLJi
Ships are like 'prisons'
Journalists have traveled on several ships plying between Greece and Italy to investigate the return of asylum seekers to Greece. Video captured on a ship bound for Greece shows asylum seekers being held in a room once used as a toilet.
The video was captured through the keyhole in the toilet door. The video taken with a small camera shows a broken shower, commode and mat inside the washroom. Names and dates written in different languages on the walls. The latrines match the descriptions of the asylum seekers interviewed to prepare the investigative report.
A number of boxes were found in the hold of another ship. Detained asylum seekers also spoke of similar boxes. Crews on some such ships have confirmed sending asylum seekers back to Greece. They call these places of detention on ships 'prisons'.
Violation of the judgment of the European Court
Lawyer Amarilda Lisi works with asylum seekers. Al-Jazeera's joint investigation revealed that the statements of the asylum seekers returned from Italy are similar to the evidence, he said. He said he had heard from many of the asylum seekers who had been returned from Italy to Greece that they were being held on board.
An agreement was reached between Italy and Greece in 1999. According to the agreement, Italy can send back to Greece those who seek asylum as migrants and refugees. However, asylum seekers cannot be sent back for other reasons including politics.
Meanwhile, there have been incidents of Italy sending asylum seekers to Greece before. In 2014, the European Court of Human Rights gave a judgment due to all such incidents. The ruling states that the deportation of asylum seekers is illegal. Therefore, it can be said that the image that has emerged in the investigation report is a violation of that judgment.
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