• Contact
  • Support our action
  • Complaints
  • Grievances
HumanRights360
  • Who we are
  • Our Action
    • Social Integration Service
      • Integration Service
      • Street Lawyering: Provision of legal aid to homeless persons
      • Support for prisoners’ reintegration
      • Combatting racist violence
    • Defending rights at the land border of Evros
      • Legal and psychosocial support in the Reception and Identification Center of Fylakio, Orestiadas/ Pre- removal centers/Border Police Stations
      • Monitoring, Recording, and addressing the illegal practices at the land borders of Evros
    • Advocacy & Strategic Communication
      • Publications / Interventions
      • Legal Cases
      • Strategic communication
    • Sustainable Development
      • Sustainable Development – Green Ideas
    • Participations in networks (Memberships)
  • Regranting
    • EEA Grants
    • Regranting actions
    • Regranting actions due to COVID-19 pandemic
  • Supporters
    • Companies
    • Foundations
    • Organisations & entities
    • Embassies
    • European
      Projects
  • Media
    • Press Releases / Announcements
    • Video / Photogallery
  • Transparency
    • Policies
      • Code of Conduct and Ethics (PDF)
      • Gender Equality Policy And The Prevention Of Violence And Harassment At Work (PDF)
      • Policy of Complaints (PDF)
      • Policy of Grievances (PDF)
      • Anti-Fraud Policy (PDF)
      • Quality Policy (PDF)
      • Whistleblowing Policy (PDF)
      • Protection of Minors (PDF)
      • Statute
      • Annual Reports
      • Financial Data
      • Certifications
      • Registries
  • EL
HumanRights360
  • Who we are
  • Our Action
    • Social Integration Service
      • Integration Service
      • Street Lawyering: Provision of legal aid to homeless persons
      • Support for prisoners’ reintegration
      • Combatting racist violence
    • Defending rights at the land border of Evros
      • Legal and psychosocial support in the Reception and Identification Center of Fylakio, Orestiadas/ Pre- removal centers/Border Police Stations
      • Monitoring, Recording, and addressing the illegal practices at the land borders of Evros
    • Advocacy & Strategic Communication
      • Publications / Interventions
      • Legal Cases
      • Strategic communication
    • Sustainable Development
      • Sustainable Development – Green Ideas
    • Participations in networks (Memberships)
  • Regranting
    • EEA Grants
    • Regranting actions
    • Regranting actions due to COVID-19 pandemic
  • Supporters
    • Companies
    • Foundations
    • Organisations & entities
    • Embassies
    • European
      Projects
  • Media
    • Press Releases / Announcements
    • Video / Photogallery
  • Transparency
    • Policies
      • Code of Conduct and Ethics (PDF)
      • Gender Equality Policy And The Prevention Of Violence And Harassment At Work (PDF)
      • Policy of Complaints (PDF)
      • Policy of Grievances (PDF)
      • Anti-Fraud Policy (PDF)
      • Quality Policy (PDF)
      • Whistleblowing Policy (PDF)
      • Protection of Minors (PDF)
      • Statute
      • Annual Reports
      • Financial Data
      • Certifications
      • Registries
  • EL
HumanRights360

Children remain invisible

16/03/2020
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

JOINT OPEN LETTER 

TO

THE GREEK PRIME MINISTER, KYRIAKOS MITSOTAKIS
MINISTER OF MIGRATION AND ASYLUM, NOTIS MITARAKIS
ALTERNATE MINISTER OF MIGRATION, GEORGE KOUMOUTSAKOS
SPECIAL SECRETARY FOR THE PROTECTION OF UNACCOMPANIED MINORS, IRINI AGAPIDAKI
PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, DAVID SASSOLI
PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL, CHARLES MICHEL
PRESIDENT OF THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION, URSULA VON DER LEYEN

Athens, 16 March 2020

The humanitarian, child protection and human rights organizations co-signing this letter have been actively involved in the refugee field for many years. In view of recent developments at the country’s borders, in particular those concerning people who have been in Greece since March 1st, first residing in a military naval ship at the port of Mytilene and then being transferred to the mainland, we would like to express our deep concern regarding the fact that among the newcomers, there are families with children, and (according to all indications) unaccompanied minors for whom we have no information. In addition, we express concern for those children living alone, without any protection, and in conditions of unacceptable negligence in Skala Sikamias (Lesbos), whose fate is also neglected. Therefore:

We would like to ask you to answer to the following questions:

  • Have the necessary identification and registration processes and the necessary provision of special care and protection children are entitled to, been implemented?
  • Are these children at risk of being detained and deported as it was announced for everyone who arrived after the 1st of March?
  • Are there plans to process potential family reunification cases that are amongst them?
  • Have all the necessary protection, care and psychosocial support measures following the outbreak of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic been taken, in accordance with the guidelines of the World Health Organization?

It should be noted that according to the most recent data from the National Center for Social Solidarity (15th February 2020), there are 5,424 unaccompanied minors in the country, of whom 490 are under 14 years old, while 1,092 alone children are reported to be ‘living in insecure housing conditions, such as living temporarily in apartments with others, living in squats, being homeless and moving frequently between different types of accommodation”.

Since the commitments enshrined in the “No Child Alone” program have not been implemented yet (i.e. to create an adequate amount of long-term accommodation facilities with the necessary services and provisions for the 4,000 children outside of the official child protection system) – our concern for new arrivals is constantly increasing.

Based on the above we would like to kindly request:

  • Information on the exact number and the condition of unaccompanied minors who have entered the country since the beginning of March, and the relevant child protection measures that you have taken, especially for their protection and psychosocial support during the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.
  • Information on the existence of a long term plan and timeline for the management of new child arrivals and all relevant issues regarding child protection for all children on the move that are currently in Greece.
  • The withdrawal of the recent Emergency Legislative Decree (ELD- Government Gazette A ’45 / 2-3-2020) via which “asylum applications from people that have been illegally crossing borders since March 1st are suspended”, that also includes unaccompanied minors. We are requesting the immediate registration of all asylum requests, giving priority to unaccompanied children, families with children and all vulnerable cases.  As recently stated by the EU commissioner for home affairs, Ylva Johansson: “Individuals in the European Union have the right to apply for asylum. This is in the treaty, this is in international law. This we can’t suspend.”  Applying such a regulatory provision violates the fundamental principle of non-refoulement, and incurs international responsibilities for Greece and endangers human lives.
  • To avoid deportations of unaccompanied minors back to countries where their lives and freedom are at risk, facing the risk of torture or any other inhumane or degrading treatment or punishment.

We also kindly reiterate our appeals to:

  • Receive information on the beginning of implementation of the new regulatory framework for guardianship of unaccompanied children in accordance with the relevant provisions of Law 4554/2018 that was supposed to take effect on March 1st, 2020.
  • End the detention of unaccompanied minors in Greece. Protective custody has already been ruled by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) to be contrary to the European Convention on Human Rights. During the last year ECHR has condemned Greece several times for detaining minors.

We also call upon the member states of the European Union to show solidarity, follow the promising example of France, Germany, Portugal, Finland and Luxembourg and move forward with a fair relocation of unaccompanied children, while taking the necessary steps towards family reunification, and creating a long-term integration strategy for Europe.

Concluding, we would like to recall that European Parliament President David Sassoli, following his recent visit to Evros, made a special reference to unaccompanied children, stressing the need “to show commitment and to create a long term inclusion strategy to protect thousands of children that arrive alone on Europe’s shores.”

As aid, human rights and child protection organizations, we will continue to provide services to children found in our country alone, driven by dangerous conditions in their country of origin and travelling via extremely hazardous routes. We are ready to assist your work whenever this is deemed necessary.

List of Signatories

ARSIS – ASSOCIATION FOR THE SUPPORT OF YOUTH (Greece)
CESIE (Italy)
DANISH REFUGEE COUNCIL (DRC) (Greece)
DAY CENTER BABEL (Greece)
DEFENCE FOR CHILDREN INTERNATIONAL (Greece)
DIOTIMA (Greece)
GREEK COUNCIL FOR REFUGEES (Greece)
HELP REFUGEES / CHOOSE LOVE (Greece, UK)
HIAS (Greece)
HUMANRIGHTS360 (Greece)
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH
INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE (IRC) (Greece)
INTERSOS (Greece)
INTERSOS (Italy)
MELISSA NETWORK (Greece)
NETWORK FOR CHILDREN’S RIGHTS (Greece)
PRAKSIS (Greece)
REFUGEE LEGAL SUPPORT (Greece)
SOLIDARITY NOW (Greece)
STATE OF CONCEPT (Greece)
STIL – UTRECHT (Netherlands)
TERRE DES HOMMES (Greece)
THE HOME PROJECT (Greece)

* The foregoing organizations also co-sign the relevant letter of 6 March 2020:
https://reliefweb.int/report/greece/protect-our-laws-and-humanity-open-letter-85-organizations-enel

https://www.humanrights360.org/wp-content/uploads/speaker/post-2253.mp3?cb=1634213587.mp3

SECURITY

  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookies Policy
  • Newsletters’ Policy

COMPLAINTS

  • Complaints
  • Grievances
GENDER EQUALITY
CONTACT DETAILS
210 64 00 214 | 210 64 00 215 contact@humanrights360.org

SOCIAL MEDIA

Work-life Balance logo

SUPPORT OUR ACTION
Copyright HumanRights360 2021. Developed by Loud.

  • Who we are
  • Our Action
    • Social Integration Service
      • Integration Service
      • Street Lawyering: Provision of legal aid to homeless persons
      • Support for prisoners’ reintegration
      • Combatting racist violence
    • Defending rights at the land border of Evros
      • Legal and psychosocial support in the Reception and Identification Center of Fylakio, Orestiadas/ Pre- removal centers/Border Police Stations
      • Monitoring, Recording, and addressing the illegal practices at the land borders of Evros
    • Advocacy & Strategic Communication
      • Publications / Interventions
      • Legal Cases
      • Strategic communication
    • Sustainable Development
      • Sustainable Development – Green Ideas
    • Participations in networks (Memberships)
  • Regranting
    • EEA Grants
    • Regranting actions
    • Regranting actions due to COVID-19 pandemic
  • Supporters
    • Companies
    • Foundations
    • Organisations and entities
    • Embassies
    • European Projects
  • Media
    • Press Releases / Announcements
    • Video / Photogallery
  • Transparency
    • Policies
      • Code of Conduct and Ethics (PDF)
      • Gender Equality Policy And The Prevention Of Violence And Harassment At Work (PDF)
      • Policy of Complaints (PDF)
      • Policy of Grievances (PDF)
      • Anti-Fraud Policy (PDF)
      • Quality Policy (PDF)
      • Whistleblowing Policy (PDF)
      • Protection of Minors (PDF)
    • Statute
    • Annual Reports
    • Financial Data
    • Certifications
    • Registries
  • Contact
  • Support our action
  • Complaints
  • Grievances
  • EL

SUPPORT OUR ACTION
Copyright HumanRights360 2021. Developed by Loud.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT
Powered by CookieYes Logo
Skip to content
Open toolbar

Accessibility Tools

  • Increase Text
  • Decrease Text
  • Grayscale
  • High Contrast
  • Negative Contrast
  • Light Background
  • Links Underline
  • Readable Font
  • Reset