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.
Via Hurriyet Daily News – At least 547 undocumented migrants have been caught trying to reach Europe or enter Turkey illegally across the country, security officials said on Nov. 16.
The migrants were caught in the northwestern province of Edirne, Aegean province of İzmir, Central Anatolian province of Sivas, southern province of Hatay and the eastern province of Van. Continue reading More than 500 undocumented migrants captured across Turkey
Via Gazete Duvar (Link in Turkish) – In Muğla, Bodrum, A fight arose between smugglers and 15 people who wanted to pass to Greece, because of the delay of the travel and the price. Following the denounce, police raided a hotel and arrested 5 smugglers, and 15 Syrian and Iraqi.
Via Birgün (link in Turkish) – The EU who said to give 3 billion Euro to Turkey in the frame of the EU-Turkey day for refugees, has recently paid its 2.9 billion. 1.6 billion Euro of this amount were allocated for education, health, municipality infrastructure, socioeconomic programs and migration governance. 300 million Euro were given to the Ministry of National Education and another 300 million Euro of its was given to Ministry of Health. UNICEF claims that although a large amount of money was allocated for education, 390 billion school-age refugees are still not provided with educational opportunities. 2
Via AlJazeera – Dutch journalist Sakir Khader, who was detained on Monday at the Greek-Turkish border, has been released from police custody in Greece.
Khader, who was reporting on refugees crossing into Greece via Turkey, was handed a suspended five-month prison sentence on Tuesday for entering a restricting military area near the town of Didymoteicho without permission, Greek police told Al Jazeera. Continue reading Greece releases Dutch reporter ‘taken for smuggler’
Turkey’s state-run news agency ‘Anadolu Agency’ reports on Friday that more 258 migrants have been arrested during anti-trafficking operations in provinces of Aydin, Mugla, Edirne and Hatay when they either tried to reach Europe or attempted to enter Turkey using illegal routes. Continue reading AA: More than 250 undocumented migrants held in Turkey
Via Hurriyet (Link in Turkish) – Istanbul Fatih Municipality sent a notice to the restaurants in Fatih-Yusufpaşa in 2016, noting that only Latin alphabets could be used in the signs. Mohamed Nizar Bitar, owner of a fast-food restaurant who does not want to change his Arabic writing label, has started a legal process against the municipality.
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
Via Sea-Watch – BREAKING: Turkish Coast Guards attack refugees!
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?
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