Greece’s pushbacks of migrants ‘are a shameful picture for humanity’

By Ismet Karakas

ANKARA (AA) – Greece’s pushbacks of migrants are “shameful,” the president of the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye (TIHEK) said Monday.

Speaking at a press briefing, Muharrem Kilic announced the release of a report evaluating the pushback actions against asylum-seekers and irregular migrants from a human rights perspective.

Kilic said migrants who crossed to Greece were sent back to waters and land borders without being registered.

Noting that this stance of Greece led to "the usurpation of rights,” Kilic said: "I have to express that all these actions, which we can describe as human rights violations, are a shameful picture for humanity."

He said they conveyed their recommendations on the matter to Greece.

Kilic said Greece violated its obligations through pushbacks, adding the European Parliament demanded that Greece be condemned in a letter submitted to the European Commission.

He said that besides giving little to no food or water to irregular migrants, Greece took their clothes and money, violating their basic rights, especially the right to life.

-26.4 million refugees across world

Kilic pointed out that there are 26.4 million refugees in the world according to the latest report of the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

“The UN High Commissioner for Refugees states that the number of people who have to leave their homes in the world has reached 100 million, and unfortunately we see that this figure has reached the highest level since World War II.”

He said countries adopt immigration policies by externalizing the immigration issue and criminalizing people.

Noting that billions of dollars are spent by countries to establish border security, Kilic said: "We cannot say that this perspective is structured on a humanitarian basis, on the basis of human rights."

Kilic said developing countries host 85% of the world's refugees, adding developed countries are uninterested in taking on this burden.

*Writing by Seda Sevencan