Monthly Archives: November 2017

Newsletter

Second HarekAct Newsletter out!

** German version below / Deutsche Version weiter unten **

This newsletter has been published as part of the bordermonitoring.eu newsletter, which is – for now – available in German only.

EU-Turkey Deal 

The EU Commission has presented its 7th report on the EU-Turkey deal in September – and celebrates that, according to their estimation, still relatively few refugees arrive in Greece, while almost 10,000 Syrians have been resettled in the EU. In the light of the more than three million Syrians having found their way into Turkey, 10,000 people is a ludicrously little contribution of a political community of 500 million EU citizens. We have already reported on the negative consequences of the dirty deal in our first newsletter.

Continue reading Second HarekAct Newsletter out! →

News Digest

Bodies of two refugee children washed ashore on Lesvos island

Via Keep Talking Greece – Authorities on the island of Lesvos stand before a mystery as the bodies at least two children were washed ashore in the less than 24 hours. A third body was discovered later on Saturday. No information about age or sex so far, as coast guard members were heading to the area as this post was written. Continue reading Bodies of two refugee children washed ashore on Lesvos island →

Monitoring the EU-Turkey Deal, News Digest

Sea-Watch: Additional info on pushback incident report by Refugee Rescue

Via Sea-Watch – BREAKING: Turkish Coast Guards attack refugees!

Other Resources

Turkey’s Growing Refugee Challenge – Rising Social Tensions

Continue reading Turkey’s Growing Refugee Challenge – Rising Social Tensions →

News Digest

What’s changed for Syrian refugees in Turkish garment supply chains?

Via Business and Human Rights Research Center – An estimated 650,000 Syrian refugees have fled their home country to escape bloodshed and have found a lifeline working in Turkey, with many working in the garment industry. Without these jobs, many families would face desperate times and would struggle to support themselves. However, the garment industry in Turkey is complex and exploitative conditions are too common. Since 2015, reports and investigations have exposed poor wages, discrimination, and child labour by Syrian refugees working in the Turkish garment industry.  Continue reading What’s changed for Syrian refugees in Turkish garment supply chains? →

Monitoring the EU-Turkey Deal, News Digest

Greece: Court curtails detention in the context of the EU-Turkey deal

Via ECRE – The Administrative Court of Mytilene restricted automatic detention of asylum seekers on the Eastern Aegean islands with a view of their return to Turkey under the EU Turkey deal. In three decisions from October, the court found that the applicants’ detention was unlawful, on insufficiently justified grounds in two cases and on wrong grounds in a third case. Continue reading Greece: Court curtails detention in the context of the EU-Turkey deal →

Monitoring the EU-Turkey Deal, News Digest

Pushback, Violence and Separation of Families in Greek Waters!

Via Refugee Rescue – This morning (10th November) at 3.47am, Refugee Rescue boat ‘Mo Chara’ received a request by the Hellenic coastguard to assist in transitioning 17 very distressed and hypothermic people to port.

Stock photo of Turkish Coastguard with refugees

Several arrivals reported that their dinghy – originally carrying 37 people – was intercepted by the Turkish coast guard in Greek waters. It is alleged that a Turkish official fired multiple gun shots into the air before retreating, and then returned to fire shots into the water close to the dinghy, while ramming the boat with their vessel on a number of occasions.  Continue reading Pushback, Violence and Separation of Families in Greek Waters! →

News Digest

Turkey Detained more than 500 Illegal Migrants who were Heading for Bulgaria and Greece

Via Novinite – Turkish border authorities detained 575 illegal migrants and refugees who were preparing to cross illegally to Bulgaria and Greece. This was announced by the Security Directorate of the city of Edirne, reports sega.

Some of the illegal migrants were hiding in the villages of Orhanie, Sarakapanar and Bosnokoy, not far from the Bulgarian border. The other group of migrants was hiding in Uzunkopru, Ipsala and Meric, in the immediate vicinity of the Greek border, the police message said. They then state that all detainees – from Morocco, Pakistan, Egypt, Syria, Afghanistan and Myanmar – have been handed over to the migration authorities in the city of Edirne.

Monitoring the EU-Turkey Deal, News Digest

Fragile Nature of EU-Turkey Relations: Interview with Laura Batalla

Via Bosphorus Migration Studies – Laura Batalla is the Secretary-General of the European Parliament Turkey Forum which is a group comprised of members of the European Parliament who have a keen interest in EU-Turkey relations. Mehmet Enes Beşer made an interview with Mrs. Batalla on the fragile EU-Turkey relations and the future prospects:

“I wouldn’t call it a dispute. However, it is true that we may have hit our lowest point in EU-Turkey relations since accession negotiations started in 2005.” Continue reading Fragile Nature of EU-Turkey Relations: Interview with Laura Batalla →