(Update on) Illegal deportation of refugees.

UPDATE JAN 22

After a week of illegal detention at the old detention space of the Elliniko Airport premises, and much pressure at media and the parliament and legal struggle the Iranian refugees were released.

source: http://athens.indymedia.org

_________________________________

source: athens indymedia

6 Iranian political refugees were transported illegally from the refugee detention center of Samos island to Athens Airport(El Venizelos) where they were  in custody until yesterdaypending their  illegal deportation.

On Thursday, January 14, 24 people (among them 6 Iranians, 10 Afghans, 1 Palestinian) were transferred from the Samos refugee detention center by boat to Piraeus and then to El. Venizelos airport where they were until yesterday (Friday 15), pending their eventual deportation.   They had no information on where  they were being transferred.

The 6  Iranians had requested to file asylum applications at the Samos center but their request was rejected by the Samos police.  Refugees are entitled to appeal on an appeals committee and must be given a margin of one month to do so.  Expulsion in a period less than that is illegal.

The Iranian refugees spent at least one month under imprisonment and incommunicado conditions at the detention center on Samos and they were not informed about their rights.

European Union – Turkey: hard negotiations and tough bargaining for immigrants and refugees

This short post is long due, but still usefull for anyone to understand why Turkey is not Libya, in other words, why the externalisation of Fortress Europe borders to Turkey is a stake in a complex and hard bargaining between the EU and the regional megapower (in which money is not everything for the latter).

According to the Turkish newspaper Hürriyet, the European Union is ready to offer political advantages to Turkey in exchange for signing a readmission agreement. We found out what readmission means for Turkey, when Oktay Durukan, member of the Helsinki Citizens’ Assembly of Turkey, analytically presented (in Greek) Turkey’s policies during the conference “Suspended people”, that took place in Thessaloniki on October 30th, 2009. It is worth pointing out a little known fact that was mentioned in the conference: Turkey can only offer asylum to European Union member state nationals!

Turkey was one of the countries that negotiated about the Refugee Status in the 1951 Refugee Convention, and was one of the first countries to sign it. However, Turkey has retained one of the Convention’s paragraphs, the so-called “geographical limitation”, thus still offering protection only to migrants involuntarily displaced “as a result of events in Europe”. Therefore and according to the aforementioned paragraph, Turkey welcomes only EU member states’ nationals as refuge applicants.

Third country nationals, also referred to as “non-Europeans”, claiming refugee status in Turkey have to apply in a Turkish police station for a “temporary asylum status” regardless of their application to UNHCR, which has to pre-exist. If they are arrested before managing to apply for refugee status, then they reach a dead end: the police will not accept an application for the temporary refugee status and consequently deny them access to any refugee status application at all.

The ”lucky” ones who are recognized as asylum seekers by the UNHCR are then dispersed across the country, hosted in 30 so-called “satellite towns”. There they live in average for two to three years while the final decisions on their requests for asylum and resettlement are pending. They are obliged to find shelter on their own and receive little assistance with regards to daily expenses or health-care. The chances for declared work are minimal thus many of them are forced into illegal work, mainly as sex workers. Last but not least, they are obliged to pay a resident fee in order to obtain a residence permit.

+ the article of last November at the Hürriyet newspaper

EU to grant visa flexibility in return for readmission agreement

Tuesday, November 24, 2009

DÖNDÜ SARIIŞIK

BRUSSELS – Hürriyet Daily News

The European Union is reportedly ready to introduce some visa flexibility if Turkey signs a readmission agreement to tackle the flow of illegal immigrants to Europe.

The European Union and Turkey will discuss the readmission agreement again Dec. 4. Visa flexibility will be introduced once Ankara agrees to sign the agreement to deal with illegal immigration to Europe, a high-ranked official from the European Commission in Brussels has revealed.

“We will start the new round of discussions between [the commission] and Turkey on the readmission agreement in Ankara on Dec. 4,” a senior official from the commission said under condition of anonymity during a meeting with Turkish journalists. “This is certainly a critical issue.”

A significant number of people fleeing their poverty-stricken or war-torn countries of origin seek an opportunity to live in Europe. Turkey is the main route for thousands of illegal immigrants coming from Afghanistan, Pakistan and the Middle East.

The agreement would be binding for the entire union, as no individual solution is envisioned, the official said, adding that the financial burden would be shared. “The EU will grant support to Turkey to tackle the problem. We have expressed our readiness to look into all means to help,” the official said. “Of course we have budgetary limitations, but we are ready to help you.”

EU officials held the first round of talks Nov. 5 in Ankara to convince their Turkish counterparts to sign a readmission agreement. The EU member states, which apply a common asylum policy in line with the Dublin-2 Convention, have been seeking cooperation from candidate countries. According to Chapter 24 of negotiations between the EU and Turkey, Brussels is increasing pressure on Ankara with a call to adopt more deterrence measures or grant asylum to immigrants.

The readmission bargain may result in visa flexibility for Turkish citizens, the official said, adding, “As soon as the readmission agreement is signed, we will offer a lot of new opportunities in terms of visas.”

Some EU member countries set a pre-condition of readmission in order to facilitate visa-free travel, he said. “We cannot consider any visa facilitation with Turkey if we do not have a readmission agreement between the EU and Turkey,” the official said. “Once we have a readmission agreement, we will be very open to negotiate visa facilitation. Journalists, academics, business people and scientists will be able to travel easily to the EU.”

After the European Court of Human Rights granted two Turkish drivers visa-free travel for business purposes, Turkish diplomats kicked off a campaign to widen visa flexibility in cooperation with business associations. Turkey advocates that the court ruling be applied to students, academics, artists, scientists and businessmen under the Customs Union agreement.

Germany has already introduced new regulations in line with the court verdict, but most of the other EU member states are still reluctant to take any further steps.

Last year, Turkey detained some 68,000 illegal immigrants attempting to make their way into the European Union. According to official statistics, up to 18,000 asylum seekers are waiting in Turkey for acceptance to a third country.

Existing Turkish regulations do not allow the country to grant asylum to people from outside the European Council member states.

PS: in April last year, in a case that received widespread publicity, 18 Syrians and Iranian citizens, including 5 recognized as refugees by the UNHCR, were forced by threat of weapons by Turkish soldiers to cross borders swimming through  a non-guarded  part of the river that separates Turkey from Iraq.

This is an example of a unilateral, ‘black’ expulsion of people to a third country they have nothing to do with. 4 of them died, including one Iranian of the recognized ones by the UNHCR . The latter condemned the incident in a press release, based on testimonies received by survivors. To date, however, no serious investigation into the incident has taken place.

Political refugee from Turkey in risk of deportation

source: athens indymedia article

Early today the police put on a plane from Crete to Athens the Turkish political refugee Ridvan Celik (Rido), who has been claiming political asylum since 1991 in Greece.
Rido who was persecuted by the Turkish Military  for refusing to join the army and  fight the Kurdish rebels) fled to Greece in 1991 and since then has filed twice political asylum applications.
Rido was arrested on Dec 6, 2009, when riot police attacked a group of 20 comrades who were on the road for the rally point of the march to commemorate the completion of of one year since the murder of Alexis Grigoropoulos and the rebellion that followed.
Until today morning he had been detained at the  Heraklion police headquarters.  The mobilisation for his release and the reinitiation of political asylum processes did not bear fruit.

Apparently this secret transport to Athens and the day the Greek state chose for it (24 Dec) means that they intend to deport without crating fuzz.
UPDATE: according to athens indymedia users, Rido is detained at Petrou Ralli Police dpt.

Iranian refugees in Athens: solidarity with the hunger strike!

SOLIDARITY GATHERING TUESDAY 24 NOV 17.00

PROPYLAIA OF ATHENS UNIVERSITY, PANEPISTIMIOU STR., ATHENS

more at http://iranianrefugeesfromtipf.blogspot.com/

Iranian hunger strikers taken to hospital

source: http://iranianrefugeesfromtipf.blogspot.com/

Tonight (Friday, Nov. 13), at 7:15, one more of the political refugees and hunger strikers was taken to the hospital because he broke down. Yesterday morning, a group of The Doctors of the World came to Propilaia to examine them and they warned him that he may suffer from kidney failure. The doctors kept him in the hospital for tonight and we will know more about his situation tomorrow.

update as of Sat 14

The hunger striker left the hospital today. He decided to leave because the doctors were pushing him to eat. The medical examinations showed that his blood is unusually thin and one of his kidneys malfunctions. He returned to Propilaia and continues the hunger strike.

Threats from the University’s administration towards the hunger strikers

source : http://iranianrefugeesfromtipf.blogspot.com/

On Wednesday morning, Panagiotis Kontos, a high member of the council of the University of Athens, told to the Iranian political refugees who are on hunger strike in Propilaia, that they have decided to give them a week’s deadline to take their stuff and leave from that place. He threatened them that if they don’t leave in one week, they will take measures to kick them out of from the university premises, where it is ASYLUM.
It seems the dean and the other council members use diplomacy when they have to deal with massive occupations, like the recent occupation of the University but when it comes to some common refugees, they show their real face. Obviously, the ultimate struggle of these people for their rights spoils the image of the University.
From their side, the hunger strikers ask for true support from everyone who feels solidarity to them in this fight that they have decided to take to the end, especially now that the continuous hunger strike has wore them down.

HANDS OFF OF THE IRANIAN POLITICAL REFUGEES!

About the Iranian political refugees on hunger strike

This is about the Political refugees from Iran hunger strike in Athens.

source : http://iranianrefugeesfromtipf.blogspot.com/

The Iranian political refugees are ex-members of P.M.O.I. They were recruited from countries near Iran, where they had found shelter, after being chased by Khomeini’s regime and were transported to a camp in Iraq for military training. They joined the organization believing that they would fight for political change and the freedom of their people. But, in the camp they encounter a very illiberal system, totally different with their personal beliefs, humiliations, constant brainwashing in order to exalt the organization’s leader and many times, torture and imprisonments. Now, they consider P.M.O.I. to be even worse than Khomeini himself.
In 2002, P.M.O.I. signed a secret agreement with U.S.A., which has invaded Iraq, according to which Americans had to keep for 5 years all the dissidents of the organization in a secret prison camp (T.I.P.F.), 50 kilometres outside Bagdad, and P.M.O.I. had to give information about Iran in return. In this prison, they suffered heavy torture again until they were set free in 2007, after the agreement expired. The United Nations’ High Committee for Refugees recognized them as political refugees in 2006 after interview via satellite, while they were still in prison.

The following is the testimony of one of the hunger strikers, as he wrote it:

“After the war between U.S.A and Iraq, one of the American commanders (general Odierno) came to our base, camp Ashraf near Bagdad , and told us that we can not be armed anymore and that they will help the ones of us, who want to go to other countries.
Note that this was a lie from the start because P.M.O.I. (our former organization) had secretly signed an agreement with the Americans to hold us captives for 5 years. As a result, instead of helping us leave Iraq they put as in a camp called T.I.P.F. (Temporary Interview & Protection Facility). We were supposed to stay there for 2 or 3 months but were set free 5 years later.
This “camp” was no different than Guantanamo prison. We were dressed in uniforms and we lived in tents. We were allowed to take one 3 minutes shower every 10 days and our food was M.R.E. (Meal Ready to Eat), which is provided to the American soldiers when they take part in military operations and is therefore not suitable for long-term consumption. They also used us for testing new American drugs. When we had headaches or sleeping disorders they gave us pills with false names without limitations for pills per day. I particularly remember a painkiller called oltrom which we could take 10 or 20 times per day.As a result, lots of us developed psychological problems. Some times they didn’t provide us new razors to shave and diseases were transferred from one to another through the old and common razors.
For 2 years no one knew that there was a prison in this part of the world until 5 persons escaped from the “camp” and told to BBC radio and human rights organizations, like Red Cross, United Nations High Committee for Refugees etc., that there is a top secret prison 50 kilometers outside Bagdad. When the Americans were informed about this incident they removed the black flag, which meant that this was a P.O.W. (prisoners of war) camp, they brought a generator and built other facilities in order to alter the prison image and trick human rights organizations. Then UNHCR wanted to have an interview with us but the Americans allowed it one year later. The interview took place via satellite because the Americans claimed that it was unsafe for the UNHCR members to come in Iraq. On the 5th of May 2006 we were finally recognized as political refugees.
Despite that fact, the U.S. army refused to send our case files to the countries, which accept refugees. The government of Iraq started then to push U.S. army to set us free. Finally in December of 2007 the prison gate opened and we were allowed to leave in groups of 4-5 people without any documents.
I was in the third group and managed through a lot of trouble to arrive to the Kurdish area of Iraq. There I paid a smuggler to help me enter Turkey illegally. I went to the UNHCR ‘s office in Ankara where I was given 2 papers certifying that I am a refugee and I was sent to Afion city to introduce myself to the local police. At first I was welcomed but a week later I was arrested because Turkey has signed a security contract with Iran and I was now considered a threat for Turkey’s national security. They took me to the borders with Iraq.”

To be continued…

Political refugees from Iran hunger strike in Athens

HUNGER STRIKE UNTIL WE ARE FREE!

We are political refugees from Iran, protected by the special status from the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees. We cannot return to Iran because we face the danger of imprisonment nor can we go legally to another country.

Although we are re recognised as political refugees, the Greek state refuses to give us our legal rights and at the same time gets funds from the European Union without using this money to support the refugees.

We demand the international regulations to be implemented and the Greek state give us all the required papers (white card, travel documents).

We request the help and the support of individuals and organisations in Greece and all other european countries.

We go on a hunger strike on Monday 19 October, in Propylaia, Athens protesting peacefully until the satisfaction of our demands.

source:athens indymedia

Arslan Tayfun Özkök’s has been refused asylum… the threat of extradition is imminent…

source.  In-text link by clandestinenglish.

Athens, 4/6/2009

With summary procedures and on pretextual grounds the claim of ArslanTayfun Özkök for political asylum has been rejected.   The first instance decision was announced to him yesterday and a tight margin of 8 days was given to appeal the order.

It seems that the Greek government in this case demonstrates great haste and hurry to complete a summary case and  fulfill the request of the Turkish authorities for extraditing Arslan to Turkey – which is tantamount to sentencing him  if not to death, to incarceration for life  and subjecting him to the vengeful wrath of the Turkish law enforcement authorities.

The Network denounces any arrangements that could lead to the  extradition of Arslan Tayfun Özkök and calls for vigilance to prevent such a possibility.

No concessions and no human sacrifices on the altar of Greek-Turkish power equilibrium.

No to the extradition to Turkey

Arslan Tayfun Özkök should be released and granted political asylum now.

Network for Political and Social Rights – http://www.diktio.org

Arslan Tayfun Özkök is still in prison and threatened with deportation to Turkey…

We have already posted about the Turkish leftist and political refugee Aslan Tayfun Özkök here. His case, a case of sentencing a man to immidiate danger by deporting him to the Turkish authoriatarian regime, no matter how outrageous it sounds, has not been resolved yet.   On April 30 his appeal to be released was rejected.  Now the Turkish state has to present by the 8th of May the Greek authorities with sufficient evidence for its claim to have Aslan repulsed.  In the case Turkey fails to do so, he must be released.

We know very well how Greece tries to downgrade and devalue the very notion and idea of political asylum.  All the Greek state strategically plans to be offering in the future  is “humanitarian” asylum, according to its own geopolitical calculationsas, as a kind of exceptional benefit and in the current extremely low numbers or even less if possible.

Aslan’s and Haydar’s cases are only straws in the wind and the wind is already blowing.

Publicity for the issue is crucial.   We must not let this happen.

Hands off the political refugee Aslan Tayfun Özkök!

clandestinenglish

blog in Greek about Arslan: http://ozkiok.wordpress.com/