Amnesty International: Refugees Killed, Abused at Turkey-Greece Border

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During violence at Turkey-Greece border, at least two men were killed and a woman remains missing after border forces of Greece reportedly fired live ammunition and tear gas against asylum-seekers and migrants, according to a new report by Amnesty International. 

This occurred after "Turkish authorities recklessly encouraged them to travel to Greece under false pretenses," the report said.

Turkey announced on February 27 that it would no longer stop the migration flow to Europe, which led to a new influx of migrants and asylum-seekers to the border with Greece.

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Turkey re-imposed border controls after the coronavirus outbreak spread to Turkey on March 10. Tens of thousands of refugees attempted to cross into Greece in the two-week period.

"People traveled from Turkey to Greece to seek safety, yet they were met with violence so serious that at least two were tragically killed. Allegations of violence must be promptly and impartially investigated. Everyone should be treated humanely, shielded from violence and be granted access to protection in the countries where they are seeking safety" said Massimo Moratti, Deputy Director of the Amnesty International Europe Regional Office.

At least two people killed at the land border with Turkey

Amnesty International has confirmed the deaths of two men at the Greece-Turkey land border on March 2 and March 4.

"A third person, a woman from Syria, is missing and presumed dead after she and her husband were separated from their six children while attempting to cross the Evros (Meriç) river, south of Edirne, to enter Greece," the report said.

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A man told Amnesty International that his wife has been missing, presumed dead after soldiers of Greece fired shots towards her as she attempted to join their children on the Greek side of the river.

He told Amnesty International that "Greek authorities subsequently detained him and their children for four or five hours, during which they were stripped and had their possessions taken. They were then driven back to the river and put in a wooden boat that took them and others back to the Turkish side. Despite enlisting lawyers in both countries to find out what happened to his wife, Ahmed has been unable to determine her whereabouts or fate."

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Muhammad Gulzari, a 43-year-old man from Pakistan, was shot in the chest as he attempted to cross into Greece at the Pazarkule/Kastanies border crossing point, and pronounced dead in a Turkish hospital on 4 March, in an incident which saw five others injured with gunshot wounds. A 22-year-old Syrian man, Muhammad al-Arab, also died in the area. His killing was documented by Forensic Architecture.

Other violence against asylum-seekers and migrants at the borders

Asylum-seekers and migrants told Amnesty International how Greek border forces implemented a government policy to repel them instead of taking their asylum claims even after they had entered Greek territory, Amnesty said, adding that "This violates international human rights law."

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"People reported being beaten by border guards with truncheons, being detained at sites in the border area for periods of time ranging from hours to several days and being returned to Turkey in boats across the Evros/Meriç river in groups. Asylum-seekers and migrants told Amnesty International that border forces also took their money - in some cases thousands of dollars and their only savings - with which they had hoped to start a new life in Europe.

"This violent response was not limited to the border areas. One man from Deir ez-Zor, Syria, told Amnesty International about his experience of crossing into Greece on 4 March 'I crossed the river and walked inside Greece for four days and four nights before I was caught. They drove me to a place where they beat me and took my phone and money, 2000 Lira [approx. 275 euros], it was all I have. They took me back across the river to Turkey and left me there without a coat or shoes'." (HA/VK)