AYS News Digest: 27/10/2021 Four people die in waters near Chios

Are You Syrious?
Are You Syrious?
Published in
8 min readOct 28, 2021

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US and UN Sanctions against Libyan man accused of “horrific abuses”//Pope calls for ‘clear mandate’ in Mediterranean rescues//Seven Greek police officers released without restrictions following unlawful fatality//Pushback of journalist from Bulgaria to Turkey was illegal//Poland legalise pushbacks//A woman with disabilities was deported from Germany to Kosovo//Man missing in English Channel

FEATURE

Photo Credit: Twitter

Four people, including three children, have died after a boat capsized near the island of Chios on Tuesday.

One person was still missing after 22 people were rescued in a mission involving helicopters and a German NATO ship. Passengers on the boat, which sank, called 112 to alert the authorities to their distress. A German NATO warship was the first vessel to respond. Later two helicopters and three fishing vessels were also involved. The boat was carrying 27 people, though it was designed to carry 10 people. An extensive search in rough weather ensued.

The Greek migration minister, Notis Mitarakis, blames Turkey for not doing more to prevent gangs from exploiting vulnerable people.

A similar tragedy occurred in July, when three people died. This piece describes the chaotic rescue situation during that incident.

LIBYA

US and UN Sanctions against Libyan man accused of “horrific abuses”

Photo Credit: Infomigrants The migrant detention centre in Zawiya, 30 km from Tripoli | Photo: ARCHIVE/ANSA/ZUHAIR ABUSREWIL

Forty-five year old Osama Al Kuni Ibrahim was the manager of a migrant detention centre in Libya where violations of human rights occurred. The centre, 50 kilometres from the capital Tripoli, saw acts of beatings, sexual violence against and killing of people mostly from more southerly African countries. The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said:

“Today’s action promotes accountability and exposes the mistreatment, exploitation and violence being perpetrated against vulnerable migrants transiting Libya in pursuit of a better life,”

The unrest in Libya continues as UNHCR has asked the group of people-on-the-move assembled outside their Libya office to disperse. But where should they go? asks Jeff Crisp. The group has become a target for increasing violence. A 17-year-old boy was hit by a car and suffered serious injuries before violent attacks by ‘militias’.

TODAY! A press conference is being held jointly by Amnesty Italia and Refugees in Libya. Details here.

SEA — SAR

Pope calls for a ‘clear mandate’ in Mediterranean rescues

The Pope has called on the international community to provide a search-and-rescue mission with a ‘clear mandate’ in the Mediterranean. The head of the Catholic church has highlighted the appalling conditions that people are fleeing from in Libya, and that ‘safe and legal’ routes to asylum must be put in place.

This comes as this article summarises the efforts of rescue teams over one week of increased activity. More than 850 people were rescued by Sea Watch 3, Salvamento Maritimo Humaniario, MSF’s Geo Barents, Vessel Nadir of NGO Resqship as well as the Italian coast guard.

Photo Credit: ©Filippo Taddei/MSF

The Geo Barents was without a port for two days after rescuing 367 people. The crew and passengers had to endure hurricane conditions but have now disembarked in Palermo.

Mare Liberum’s powerful video calls for permission to bear witness to events in the oceans.

“Todays shipwreck off Chios — in which at least four children drowned — showed once again how important it is to have independent observers at Europes borders in the Aegean. Still, we remain stuck in port as Greek port authorities continue denying us permission to resume our monitoring mission.”

GREECE

Seven Greek police officers released without restrictions following unlawful fatality

The case of the unlawful killing of Nikos Sampanis continues. Seven police officers facing charges have now been released from custody with no restrictive measures. The 15-year-old driver of the vehicle testified, apparently saying:

“They had raised their arms in surrender, the police dismounted their motorbikes & shot at them. Then the car hit the bikes while trying to escape.”

This article and this article both look at the prison-like camps funded by the EU on the Greek islands.

“The sun reflects the light on the white containers and a three-meter-high chain link fence surrounds the site. On it: NATO barbed wire. Trying to get past this fence can be fatal.”

The Guardian examines the rise of the far-right in Greece in this article. The demise of extremist group Golden Dawn, members of which were imprisoned last year, has left a gap that is being filled by far-right groups.

The number of people staying on the island of Lesvos is at the lowest since 2016. There are 3,280 people living on the island—2,991 in camp Kara Tepe and the remaining living in apartments.

BULGARIA

Pushback of journalist from Bulgaria to Turkey was illegal

Photo Credit: ECCHR Twitter

The European Court of Human Rights has ruled that the treatment of Turkish journalist known as D was unlawful.

“Bulgaria’s systematic expulsion of refugees and migrants to Turkey without an individual examination of the risk of torture, inhuman or degrading treatment violates the European Convention on Human Rights, the European Court of Human Rights has ruled today.” ECCHR

This is extremely significant for other cases of illegal pushback, and the European Centre for Constitutional Human Rights (ECCHR) warns other nations that they too could be held accountable.

SPAIN

In May this year, thousands of people arrived in the Spanish enclave of Ceuta from Morocco. In just two days, 8,000 people arrived when Morocco eased security at the border. This article states that this was in direct response to Spain’s decision to provide COVID-19 medical treatment to Brahim Ghali, President of the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic (SADR) and secretary-general of the Polisario Front.

POLAND

Poland legalises pushbacks

Polish authorities have now passed into law the ability for area commanders to remove people from Polish soil without hearing their request for asylum. The law was voted through by far-right MPs in contravention of the Geneva Convention. Human rights defenders and UNHCR have criticized the move.

The UN Refugee Agency is deeply concerned that the newly adopted legislation in Poland undermines the fundamental right to seek asylum set out in international and EU law. The legislation and practices adopted by Poland supposedly in response to the current situation at the EU border with Belarus are at odds with international and EU law and will only compound the hardship of people forced to flee.”

NGOs are attempting to assist those detained between the two nations. Ocalenie Foundation is a Polish organisation and this article describes their work in reaching people who send their GPS location in efforts to call for help.

This article describes the situation for those trapped at the Poland-Belarus border in more detail. One man was forced to walk without shoes in the increasingly cold weather. More deaths are feared as temperatures drop and people remain trapped in the woodland.

This comes as Poland announces an additional 10,000 troops to police the border. Minor injuries to soldiers were reported as groups of 60 or 70 people tried to cross the border simultaneously. This is in contrast to the suffering of those searching for safety.

Belarus continues to deliver people to the border in efforts to encourage them to leave, whilst protests continue in Poland — including by two former First Ladies on Saturday.

A pregnant woman was pushed back 18 times, and scenes filmed by Grupa Granica show medical need whilst pleas of help for an eight-year-old girl were sent to Alarmphone.

Photo Credit: GrupaGranica
Photo Credit: GrupaGranica

These photos help to give context to the situation — these two boys have a legal guardian granted by the Polish court, yet are currently missing.

LITHUANIA

Lithuania’s migrant camps Pabadré and Medininkai are the subject of this in-depth piece. Emerald (not her real name), a Congolese woman, speaks of her experiences in both camps.

“I live in a container where there are four of us. But in other containers, there are 15 people. We sleep on mattresses. We were given blankets and we have heating with electric heaters. It is the same in all of the containers.”

GERMANY

A woman with disabilities was deported from Germany to Kosovo, along with her mentally ill parents.

The 20-year-old woman, who was born in Germany, received her school diploma in June and had a place to continue her studies. Yet, during the summer break, immigration authorities deported her and her parents. The family, who have Roma heritage, haven’t been able to find suitable accommodation in Kosovo. It is an obligation of the authorities to ensure suitable measures are in place in the event of a deportation.

No Border Assembly has a list of mass deportations from Germany. This extensive list shows which city airport will be used to deport to countries including Bangladesh and Pakistan.

Police have apprehended 50 people at the German-Poland border. This comes as a continuation of events first reported in the Weekend Digest — vigilante groups have heeded the call of right-wing extremists and are attempting to prevent people crossing from Poland. The police have seized weapons including “pepper spray, a bayonet, a machete and batons”.

UNITED KINGDOM

A search has been conducted for a missing man feared drowned in the Channel

A dinghy was rescued 30 miles off the coast of Essex on Tuesday. Two men were saved from the inflatable boat which had left northern France on Saturday. An extensive search was carried out for a third passenger, including with a helicopter and plane, but sadly with no success.

Home Secretary Priti Patel comments on the sad loss of life whilst also addressing her experience as a Black and Minority Ethinic (BAME) woman in her role.

“Senior QCs have argued that Patel’s controversial new borders bill breaches international and domestic law in at least 10 different ways.”

DENMARK

Activist groups are called to mobilise in support of a couple from Syria who have been removed from their home. Asmaa and Omar have been informed that they are to be deported.

“They receive no money, food three times a day and now live in conditions that Asmaa best describes as comparable to Assad’s prisons.”

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Are You Syrious?
Are You Syrious?

News digests from the field, mainly for volunteers and people on the move, but also for journalists, decision makers and other parties.