Reuters: Tortured, detained and ordered out: a migrant’s tale in Greece

Source: 
http://www.reuters.com/

By Renee Maltezou and Deepa Babington

SALAMINA, Greece | Thu Dec 6, 2012 11:57am EST

(Reuters) – Egyptian immigrant Waleed Taleb says demanding his unpaid wages in Greece came at a heavy price; 18 hours chained and beaten by his boss, a stint in jail and orders to leave the country he calls home.

One of hundreds of thousands of undocumented immigrants who toil in Greece’s black labor market, Taleb had just finished cleaning the bakery where he worked one November morning on the island of Salamina when he sparked his boss’s fury.

What followed would end up symbolizing how migrants have become among the biggest and most defenseless victims of Greece’s economic crisis, facing racist attacks, police apathy and a system that punishes them rather than their assailants.

Racist Violence Against Migrants By Greek Police

source:
http://www.keeptalkinggreece.com

Dozens of unknown incidents of racist violence, arbitrariness and abuse of office by members of the Greek Police are publish today in Sunday edition of news paper TO ETHNOS. Torture, insulting and even theft are the among the complaints filed by migrants and migrants human rights organisations.

A list of cases records the appalling detains of fascist practices by member of Greek police, practices that are completely ‘harmonized’ with the practices of extreme right Golden Dawn (Chrysi Avgi).

Among the cases under investigation by the Internal Affairs Directorate of the Police are: torture, insults of sexual dignity, theft, extortion, but also destruction of legal document.

From the preliminary results of the investigation, it looks as if in the majority of the incidents listed, the police officers involved apparently keep -in addition to a common mindset – also ‘loyal’ relations with the Golden Dawn.

Hunger strike of migrant detainees in Mytilini and racist attacks against homeless newcomers

Source: 
http://infomobile.w2eu.net

On Tuesday November 20 some of the migrants detained in Mytilini police station for undocumented entry into Greece through the Turkish border started a hunger strike in order to protest against the humiliating detention conditions and the long detention periods. They struggle for freedom. It is not known how many of them continue the struggle and if some have been already released or not.

Arrivals of migrants have started again this summer, fastly exceeding the capacities of detention cells in the local police stations of the island. Due to the general order “to keep them as long as possible in detention” overcrowdedness amongst others has been reported throughout the four months to worsen the detention conditions.

Almost daily by now the murderous racist attacks in Greece

A report by Infomobile

A wall against the immigration : Evros river, the oriental gate of Europe

A reportage by Mauro Prandelli

Evros river is the 160 km natural borderline between Greece and Turkey, Europe and Asia and since 2007 one of the preferential ways for the immigration to Europe.
Riverside had been planned the construction of a ditch and the first 15 kilometres were ready in August 2011. The initial project, later considered to be too expensive, was then changed into a double barrier of wire-netting and barbed wire.

907 kilometres from Orestiada to Athena

A reportage by Mauro Prandelli

907 kilometres is the distance to reach the Omonia quarter, in the centre of Athena, leaving from the Greek-Turkish border. This is a political border represented by the Evros river, the 160 km natural borderline between two countries, Greece and Turkey, but also between two worlds, two cultures. This river is the gateway for many migrants who try to enter into Europe from the East, it is the oriental gate of Europe.

Denouncement by African immigrants

Message by the union of African nationals (refugees in Ermioni) in Greece…

We, African refugees resident in Ermioni, have the honour to bring to your knowledge the perpetual threat of our security.

We send out this alarming and disgraced message to all national and international organisations defending the cause of refugees and all persons of good will who can defend us from this insecurity and racial segregation, and restore and recognise our international human rights as no one wishes to be a refugee.


Amnesty International: Greece continues to violate asylum-seekers’ human rights

While over a year has passed since the landmark ruling by the Grand Chamber of European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) in the case of M.S.S. v. Belgium and Greece, Amnesty International remains profoundly concerned about the treatment of asylum-seekers in Greece.

The organization is deeply concerned that asylum-seekers are routinely detained for prolonged periods of time that can reach up to six months. In particular, the detention of unaccompanied or separated asylum-seeking children continues. Such children are held routinely for prolonged periods while a place is found for them in a reception centre for minors.

Greece: Racist attacks continue plaguing Athens

source:
http://eagainst.com/articles/greece-racist-attacks-continue-plaguing-athens/

In the recent days repeated racist attacks take place in various neighbourhoods of Athens.

• Last night (September 16), 2 Afghan immigrants were attacked outside their home. When they saw a group of thugs approaching, scared they tried to run away but did not manage to escape. The gangs attacked them leaving one stabbed! The victim suffered two wounds, one next to the heart and another one just below. One person was arrested but the rest of the fascist gangs escaped and continued their attacks at St. Panteleimonas square beating up another Afghan. St Panteleimonas neighbourhood is one of the areas with large immigrant population in Athens and has become a point of reference for violent racist attacks. Immigrants are constantly experiencing verbal and physical abuses by the extreme far-right faction “Chrisi Avgi” (Golden Dawn)

• An organized illegal persecution, also, against Pakistani immigrants took place in Aspropyrgos (a working class area of Athens). More than twenty four were left wounded and transferred to Evangelismos hospital.

• On 15th of September, Kouvelou squat in Maroussi (northern suburb of Athens) was hit by arson in the middle of the night, at around 3 am on September 14th. The roof collapsed and four rooms destroyed.

• Last Saturday, 10th of September, in the same area, around 40 right wing thugs with bats and other weapons gathered on late afternoon close to the suburban train station. They stopped a public bus, held it for 15 minutes and attacked 4 immigrants that were on it. Then, they invaded at least ten houses and destroyed immigrants’ property.  Around 11pm, at the house of Sampir Hussein, the same fascist gang went to the extend of drawing guns. Two people that were at home were shot – the bullet passed close to the shoulder of one.Just outside the Aspropyrgos Police Station the same gang broke the car of a Pakistani immigrant who went there to report the attack at his house! The head of the local police said that the officers searched for the attackers, but did not find anyone!

• Moreover, last Sunday, September 11 attacks unleashed again in St. Panteleimon leaving ten Afghans wounded.

• On Thursday, September 8, a group of far-right thugs attacked Pakistani immigrants in the area around Village Park in Rendi. Around 16:30 they got on the bus 703, forced a group of Pakistani immigrants to get off the bus and beat them up.

• According to witnesses of residents and immigrants, similar attacks took place also throughout the month of August by fascist groups of 15-20 people leaving dozens of Pakistani immigrants wounded.

• In the area of Aghioi Anargyroi, ten days ago, they stabbed one immigrant from Bangladesh and attempted to set fire to a place of worship.

Fire in refugees’ home in patras

Source: Infomobile

Around the 8th of September unknown people set fire on a barack where asylum seekers were temporarily living in the transit-port of Patras.