Post by depletedreasons on Mar 7, 2008 4:50:20 GMT -5
Greece under fire for refugee policies
Norwegian authorities say that they will not return any more asylum-seekers to Greece unless Greece starts following the rules for refugees. Greece is trying to shed a reputation as an unsafe haven for refugees.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
By Kathy Tzilivakis
Greece's efforts to shed its reputation as an unsafe haven for refugees suffered a major blow with the news that Norway has suspended the return of asylum-seekers to Greece on the grounds that their rights may be violated.
Based on the European Union's Dublin II Regulation (EC 343/2003, which excludes EU member Denmark but includes Iceland and Norway), the first member state that a migrant enters is the one responsible for examining his/her asylum application. Last week, however, Norway decided it would ignore the Dublin II Regulation and examine the asylum applications of those who had initially passed through Greece.
Norway's unprecedented decision was announced on February 8 by Terje Sjeggestad, the director of the Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board (UNE), a quasi-judicial body under Norway's ministry of local government and regional development.
It is the first time that Norway has suspended returns of asylum-seekers under the Dublin II Regulation. No other country has done so in the past.
"The Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board has received information about possible breaches of asylum-seekers' rights in Greece," Sjeggestad told the Athens News. "A decision whether to prolong the suspension or to end it will be based on information supplied by Greek authorities through the Norwegian embassy in Athens."
The embassy is currently holding talks with the local branch of the United Nation's refugee agency (UNHCR) and Greek government officials. Norway's decision does not come as a big surprise to local refugee organisations.
The UNHCR has repeatedly put Greece's poor record in the spotlight and expressed serious concern. The agency routinely appeals to the government to ensure that refugees - victims of persecution and human rights violations in their homeland - have access to Greek territory and the asylum procedure.
"UNHCR recommends the generous use by all member states of the discretionary powers as regards returns to Greece under the Dublin II Regulation," Ketty Kehayioglou, spokesperson for UNHCR in Greece, told the Athens News. "And [we] encourage the states to take into account the factors that may impede access to entitlement and benefits for persons in need of international protection. As regards the decision by the Norwegian appeals board, the Norwegian authorities have indeed taken into account information of possible violations of the rights of asylum-seekers in Greece."
According to Kehayioglou, Greece is also lagging behind other EU member states in terms of legislation. Greek parliament has yet to ratify two EU directives concerning asylum procedures.
"The quality of decision-making is an area over which UNHCR has serious concerns," she said. "There are many challenges facing refugee protection in Greece. The UNHCR continues to work closely with Greek authorities to help improve the situation."
According to Spyros Kouloheris, chief legal advisor at the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR), Norway's decision to stop sending asylum-seekers back to Greece should sound alarm bells for the government's management of the asylum system.
"We've had courts in other countries ruling against the return of an asylum-seeker to Greece," Kouloheris told the Athens News. "This is the first time that a country has officially stopped all returns on the basis that Greece is not a safe country. This is very serious, but the truth is that the asylum procedure in Greece is extremely problematic."
Considerable jurisprudence has developed in EU members Austria, Finland, Italy and Sweden. The courts in these countries have ruled in favour of asylum-seekers' pleas not to be returned on the basis that Greece does not constitute a safe country.
Refugees' rights wronged
The GCR and other local human rights groups have openly accused Greek officials of deliberately making the asylum procedure difficult, if not impossible. They have stressed the need for more interpreters, improved detention conditions and procedures, and a reduction in the overlong delays associated with processing asylum applications.
The asylum-seeker approval rate in Greece is the lowest in Europe. Nearly every single application for refugee status is rejected, according to data compiled by UNHCR.
Last year, the rate of recognition was a mere 0.61 percent. It was 0.84 percent in 2006 and 2005 and just 0.3 percent in 2004. Failed asylum-seekers face deportation. Those who decide to appeal are rarely satisfied with the outcome. One reason is that there is no independent appeals body for decisions on asylum. Appeals are reviewed by the same body that issued the initial decision.
Last year, the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) blasted Greece for systematically "interrupting" the examination of asylum applications for persons returned to Greece under the Dublin II Regulation on the grounds that they violated Greek legislation by "arbitrarily leaving his/her stated place of residence". According to ECRE, officials in Greece used this as an excuse to reject asylum applications.
"Many times, an interruption decision is issued even before they are transferred to Greece," said ECRE in a report released in March 2006. "Thus, when the applicant is returned to Greece, upon arrival, they are informed of the interruption decision, issued a deportation order and detained prior to expulsion."
According to Kouloheris, pressure from the GCR convinced Greek authorities to end this practice.
The vast majority of people seeking refuge in Greece are Afghans and Iraqis fleeing war and political persecution in their homeland.
Kathy Tzilivakis writes for Athens News and appears here with permission.
www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=14570&tag=
Norwegian authorities say that they will not return any more asylum-seekers to Greece unless Greece starts following the rules for refugees. Greece is trying to shed a reputation as an unsafe haven for refugees.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
By Kathy Tzilivakis
Greece's efforts to shed its reputation as an unsafe haven for refugees suffered a major blow with the news that Norway has suspended the return of asylum-seekers to Greece on the grounds that their rights may be violated.
Based on the European Union's Dublin II Regulation (EC 343/2003, which excludes EU member Denmark but includes Iceland and Norway), the first member state that a migrant enters is the one responsible for examining his/her asylum application. Last week, however, Norway decided it would ignore the Dublin II Regulation and examine the asylum applications of those who had initially passed through Greece.
Norway's unprecedented decision was announced on February 8 by Terje Sjeggestad, the director of the Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board (UNE), a quasi-judicial body under Norway's ministry of local government and regional development.
It is the first time that Norway has suspended returns of asylum-seekers under the Dublin II Regulation. No other country has done so in the past.
"The Norwegian Immigration Appeals Board has received information about possible breaches of asylum-seekers' rights in Greece," Sjeggestad told the Athens News. "A decision whether to prolong the suspension or to end it will be based on information supplied by Greek authorities through the Norwegian embassy in Athens."
The embassy is currently holding talks with the local branch of the United Nation's refugee agency (UNHCR) and Greek government officials. Norway's decision does not come as a big surprise to local refugee organisations.
The UNHCR has repeatedly put Greece's poor record in the spotlight and expressed serious concern. The agency routinely appeals to the government to ensure that refugees - victims of persecution and human rights violations in their homeland - have access to Greek territory and the asylum procedure.
"UNHCR recommends the generous use by all member states of the discretionary powers as regards returns to Greece under the Dublin II Regulation," Ketty Kehayioglou, spokesperson for UNHCR in Greece, told the Athens News. "And [we] encourage the states to take into account the factors that may impede access to entitlement and benefits for persons in need of international protection. As regards the decision by the Norwegian appeals board, the Norwegian authorities have indeed taken into account information of possible violations of the rights of asylum-seekers in Greece."
According to Kehayioglou, Greece is also lagging behind other EU member states in terms of legislation. Greek parliament has yet to ratify two EU directives concerning asylum procedures.
"The quality of decision-making is an area over which UNHCR has serious concerns," she said. "There are many challenges facing refugee protection in Greece. The UNHCR continues to work closely with Greek authorities to help improve the situation."
According to Spyros Kouloheris, chief legal advisor at the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR), Norway's decision to stop sending asylum-seekers back to Greece should sound alarm bells for the government's management of the asylum system.
"We've had courts in other countries ruling against the return of an asylum-seeker to Greece," Kouloheris told the Athens News. "This is the first time that a country has officially stopped all returns on the basis that Greece is not a safe country. This is very serious, but the truth is that the asylum procedure in Greece is extremely problematic."
Considerable jurisprudence has developed in EU members Austria, Finland, Italy and Sweden. The courts in these countries have ruled in favour of asylum-seekers' pleas not to be returned on the basis that Greece does not constitute a safe country.
Refugees' rights wronged
The GCR and other local human rights groups have openly accused Greek officials of deliberately making the asylum procedure difficult, if not impossible. They have stressed the need for more interpreters, improved detention conditions and procedures, and a reduction in the overlong delays associated with processing asylum applications.
The asylum-seeker approval rate in Greece is the lowest in Europe. Nearly every single application for refugee status is rejected, according to data compiled by UNHCR.
Last year, the rate of recognition was a mere 0.61 percent. It was 0.84 percent in 2006 and 2005 and just 0.3 percent in 2004. Failed asylum-seekers face deportation. Those who decide to appeal are rarely satisfied with the outcome. One reason is that there is no independent appeals body for decisions on asylum. Appeals are reviewed by the same body that issued the initial decision.
Last year, the European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE) blasted Greece for systematically "interrupting" the examination of asylum applications for persons returned to Greece under the Dublin II Regulation on the grounds that they violated Greek legislation by "arbitrarily leaving his/her stated place of residence". According to ECRE, officials in Greece used this as an excuse to reject asylum applications.
"Many times, an interruption decision is issued even before they are transferred to Greece," said ECRE in a report released in March 2006. "Thus, when the applicant is returned to Greece, upon arrival, they are informed of the interruption decision, issued a deportation order and detained prior to expulsion."
According to Kouloheris, pressure from the GCR convinced Greek authorities to end this practice.
The vast majority of people seeking refuge in Greece are Afghans and Iraqis fleeing war and political persecution in their homeland.
Kathy Tzilivakis writes for Athens News and appears here with permission.
www.speroforum.com/site/article.asp?id=14570&tag=