Thread by @Border_Violence

1/ Pushbacks, violence in numbers and (lack of) accountability. Taking a closer look at the practices of illegal expulsion from Greece to Turkey at the Evros border.
[Thread]👇

2/ BVMN has reported on the pushback of over 6000 people since January 2020 via the Evros region to Turkey, with 89% of last years cases including violence tantamount to torture.
borderviolence.eu/wp-content/upl…

3/ A recent report by the Greek Ombudsperson found "no indication of wrongdoing on the part of the police officers on the ground and that the complaints about pushbacks are likely to come from traffickers aiming to compromise the operational capabilities of the police"

synigoros.gr/resources/docs…

4/ Yet testimony upon testimony continue to show Greek authorities coordinating the pushback of transit groups across the Evros/Meriç river, regularly (and violently) denying access to asylum.
borderviolence.eu/violence-repor…

5/ Over two thirds of apprehended groups include minors, as documented recently by @bramvermeul who observed Greek authorities capturing people in Evros.

https://twitter.com/bramvermeul/status/1398580264348131332

6/ In a letter, BVMN called attention to inconsistencies in the Ombudspersons report, and put forward recommendations for a full investigation into Evros pushbacks and rights violations against people-on-the-move.
borderviolence.eu/response-to-gr…

7/ Clarification: The quote in "3/" comes from the Greek police response to pushback allegations and was cited in the Ombudsperson's interim report (rather than a direct statement from their office).