The Watch The Med Alarmphone reports about a pushback from Greek waters to Turkey, which took place in the early morning hours of Friday, 21th July:
“On Friday the 21st of July 2017, at 5.03am, the Alarm Phone shift team was alerted by a contact person to a group of 26 travellers, amongst them 2 children and a pregnant woman.. Continue reading Greek coastguards pushed boat carrying 26 people back to Turkey
Via Greekreporter – The Hellenic Coast Guard announced on Friday the rescue of more than 170 migrants in search-and-rescue operations in the Aegean in the past 24 hours. The operations took place off Samos and Lesvos islands, adding to the number of 11,000 of asylum seekers who landed on the Greek islands coming from Turkey this year. Continue reading Greek Coast Guard Rescues 170 Migrants in the Aegean
Via Anadolu Ajansi* – Seven refugees, two women and five children, lost their lives when their boat sank off Çeşme, Izmir on Thursday evening, the Turkish Coast Guard confirmed this morning. Nine people were rescued and taken to Cesme State Hospital for treatment.
The Coast Guard in still engaged in a rescue operation to search for one missing person.
Read the whole article here
*Turkish state-run news agency
Ben de Buradayim – I’m Also Here is a documentary aiming to tell the story of Amina, a Senegalese refugee living in Istanbul since five years and the solidarity between local and refugee women living in Turkey. The project needs support for filiming in Senegal. Read more here
Via BBC News Turkey – “The Greek islands feel abandoned by the mainland – and Greece feels abandoned by the EU”. Arrivals of migrants to Greece are growing again – but with doors elsewhere in Europe shut, most are now trapped in Greece or deported back to Turkey.
Via Mosaik Support Center – After 24 days on hunger strike and three months in prison, Amir Hampay has been released from detention by court order and reunited with his brother, Arash. #KhozinHussein and #BahroozArash remain imprisoned, and in deteriorating condition. Arash Hampay and Solidarity Activists Lesvos will continue their hunger strike in solidarity with their call for justice, freedom and dignity. Continue reading Amir Hampay Freed After 24 Days of Hunger Strike
Middle East Eye on Istanbuls Syrian LGBT community:
“Every Sunday, Syrian LGBT refugees from all corners of the city meet up for weekly “Tea and Talk” meetings. Several issues are discussed, including the difficulties involved with obtaining residency permits and applying for asylum, as well as more mundane matters such as entry prices into Istanbul’s various gay clubs. […] Continue reading Facing own dangers, Turkey’s LGBT community defends Syrian counterparts
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
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