Products

Publication in english

Whether or not to treat Turkey as a ‘safe third country’ has been a matter of much discussion in the EU. Turkey is playing a central role in the struggle to find a solution to the crisis of European refugee law. Political measures must respect applicable Union law. For this reason, the following paper commissioned by Pro Asyl will examine whether applicable Union law allows European Union Member States to treat Turkey as a ‘safe third country’. If this is not the case, asylum seekers cannot be returned from Greece to Turkey or taken back to Turkey after interception at sea.

Publication in english

In the past few months PRO ASYL has become increasingly concerned about reports from asylum seekers who, during hearings in Germany, state that whilst in Greece, they were given no opportunity to file an asylum claim in accordance with the requirements of the 1951 Refugee Convention. Furthermore, the numbers of refugees reporting maltreatment and attempted refoulement by the Greek coast guard has increased.

Publication in english

A Joint Position of: • Arbeiterwohlfahrt Bundesverband e.V. (workers’ welfare association) • Deutscher AnwaltVerein (German association of asylum lawyers) • Caritas Germany • German Paritätische Welfare Association • German Red Cross • Neue Richtervereinigung (new association of judges) • Diakonisches Werk (Protestant social service agency) • PRO ASYL, national working group for refugees

Publication in english

What we have observed in Evros area is a multilevel deterrence system implemented by the Greek police and Frontex. The detention of refugees and migrants in Evros is synonimous with brutality, despair and dehumanisation. In this case, calling an emergency of «mass-immigration» has given the Greek government and the EU an excuse for violating human dignity.

Publication in english

Every year, thousands of refugees and migrants hide in passenger ships, traveling in high-speed inflatable boats or in any other maritime transport, in an attempt, to cross the Adriatic Sea. These crossborder movements on this internal EU-border, in most of the cases, concern people in need of international protection.

Publication in english

European control of refugee- and migration movement does not start at Europe’s external borders, but reaches far beyond. By trying to control and influence the immigration and emigration policies of its bordering states, the European Union has virtually created an extraterritorial zone of isolation and containment of fleeing and migration beyond its borders.

Publication in english

With this position paper, the signatory associations have responded to the current crisis of the European asylum system.