Short film on deportations under the EU-Turkey Deal by Joinda Productions, a film collective of three brothers from Afghanistan who arrived in Greece a year ago from Turkey in a rubber dinghy!
In Afghanistan, the three brothers had been prosecuted for their artistic work: making political films. Trapped on the Greek island Lesvos in the barbed wired camp Moria for a year, the three Afghan television artists continue their political work.
Since the EU-Turkey Agreement came into force on March 20th 2017, a rising number of refugees with well-founded asylum claims has been arrested and detained in the camp Moria on Lesvos Island. More than 1.800 migrants have been deported from the islands to Turkey so far where a great number of them is again detained and eventually deported back to their home countries.
In the video, Arash Hampay, a human rights activist from Iran describes the living conditions on the island and his fight against the detention and deportation of his brother Amir. Refugee lawyer Lorraine Leete and sea rescuer Ella Carlquist explain the background of the questionable deportations from Lesvos Island and give insights into their personal experiences of the fatal consequences of the European isolationist border policy for people seeking protection and a decent life on the Greek island.
How the hunger strike continued
For 41 days, Arash Hampay has been on hunger strike fighting for freedom for the refugees imprisoned in Moria Camp. They were detained for months, for no other reason than fleeing persecution and seeking protection in Europe. Arash and the hunger strikers in the pre-removal prison have been driven close to their deaths.
However, they found immense support by people all over the world showing their solidarity through protest marches and solidary hunger strikes. Eventually, the refugees succeeded. First, Arash’s Brother Amir, than Aresh and Hossein were released. Arash concludes: “The people have won this battle against the government and the police. Our strike has ended.”
Yet, there are still many refugees arbitrarily detained on the Greek Islands. The struggle for freedom for all refugees will continue!
Fundraising campaign for the filmmaker collective
After one deadlocked year, Fridoon, one of the three filmmakers, was eventually granted asylum in Greece. From now on, he will not get any financial support from the Greek state. But he wants to continue his work, reporting about the situation and needs of refugees and he is eager to find a job where he can make use of his abilities and continue his education. To support them, go to the fundraising campaign