Category Archives: News Digest
HarekAct offers a topical and chronological collection of news on the EU-Turkish border regime under this section. We link to external newspapers and websites and do not hold the copyright.
Views and opinions expressed in the articles published on HarekAct are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the view of all editorial board members.
Two Syrian civilians shot dead by Turkish border police, say activists
There have been many reports of incidents on the Syrian-Turkish border since as early as 2014, according to Amnesty International
Via Middle East Eye – Two Syrian civilians attempting to cross the Turkish borders have been shot dead by Turkish border police, local activists have reported. The two men were identified as Hassan Mustafa and Abduljabar Aldali from a town called Kifr Kar in the northern suburbs of Aleppo. Continue reading Two Syrian civilians shot dead by Turkish border police, say activists
EU-Turkey migrant deal impacts mental health of refugees on Greek islands – Watchdog
Via Komnews – The EU-Turkey refugee deal, which aims to reduce the number of asylum seekers coming to Greece, has provoked a mental health crisis among thousands of migrants who have been trapped on Greek islands since March 2016, a human rights watchdog revealed on Wednesday. Continue reading EU-Turkey migrant deal impacts mental health of refugees on Greek islands – Watchdog
Report on “Syrian Refugee Labor” by Turkish Metalworkers’ Union
Via Hurriyet DailyNews – At a time when the number of racist attacks targeting Syrian refugees in Turkey is on the rise, the United Metalworkers’ Union (Birleşik Metal İş Sendikası) issued a report called “Syrian Refugee Labor.” We have thus seen once again how most of the three million Syrian refugees are living under difficult conditions here.
Eight academics from various universities drafted the report. Face to face interviews were conducted with both Turkish and Syrian workers in the textile sector. The result is striking but not unexpected, because we knew that Syrian workers were unregistered and highly underpaid.
The report said 99.6 percent of male Syrian workers and 100 percent of female Syrian workers were unregistered. As an example of the pay gap between Syrian and Turkish workers, the average pay of Syrian women workers corresponds to only half of the average Turkish male worker’s pay. Continue reading →
“I came to Greece to escape imprisonment in Iran – but now I realise that Europe is worse”
The Independent spoke to Arash Hampay about his hunger strike in Lesvos:
I am used to having my human rights trampled on. I have been tortured by police in jails from Tehran to Istanbul. But the treatment like we are experiencing here at the hands of the European Union has left me shocked. In fact, as hunger strikers, we could access medical care in Iran that has been denied to us by the Greek authorities. Continue reading “I came to Greece to escape imprisonment in Iran – but now I realise that Europe is worse”
Migrants at Lesvos camp burn tents, clash with police
Via Ekathimerini – Migrants at the overcrowded Moria reception center on Lesvos clashed on Monday afternoon with after a protest against conditions at the center escalated with two large tents being burned during the upheaval. Continue reading Migrants at Lesvos camp burn tents, clash with police
Pregnant Syrian woman raped, killed with baby in Turkey’s northwest
Via Hurriyet Daily News – A pregnant Syrian woman was raped and killed with her 10-month- old baby in the northwestern province of Sakarya on July 6.
Emani Arrahman, who was nine months pregnant, was kidnapped in Sakarya’s Kaynarca district with her baby and was taken to the woods before being brutally murdered.
Turks lash out in second summer of hate against Syrian refugees
Turkish military deaths in Syria and images of Syrians returning to their homeland for Eid spark violence and intimidation in Turkey
Via Middle East Eye – A hot summer has brought tempers to boiling point in Turkey, as hatred against its 2.9 million Syrian refugees spikes with Twitter campaigns, violence and even government ministers lashing out at their guests.
Prime Minister threatens that all Syrians committing crimes will be deported
Via Hurriyet Daily News – “Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım has warned that refugees who commit crimes will be deported from Turkey, amid increasing reports of clashes between Syrians and locals in several parts of the country. Continue reading Prime Minister threatens that all Syrians committing crimes will be deported
Sea-Watch on the hungerstrike in Moria, Lesvos
The German based organization Sea-Watch, who run a civil rescue ship off Libya to rescue migrants from unseaworthy boats, started a observation mission in the Aegean from which they are reporting on the hunger strike in the Moria refugee camp on Lesvos. They interviewed Arash Hampay, the brother of Amir who is detained in Moria awaiting his deportation to Turkey, which they together with three others are protesting against.
https://www.facebook.com/seawatchprojekt/videos/1893140724237333/
Continue reading Sea-Watch on the hungerstrike in Moria, Lesvos