From IdoÂmeÂni to StrasÂbourg: RefuÂgees demand their right to have rights at the ECtHR
Strasbourg/Berlin/Frankfurt, 14 SepÂtemÂber 2016 – Eight indiÂviÂduÂals from Syria, Iraq and AfghaÂniÂstan are resisÂting the vioÂlaÂtiÂon of their human rights on the rouÂte across the borÂders of EuroÂpe. They subÂmitÂted a comÂplaint to the EuroÂpean Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) against their unlawful push-back from the ForÂmer YugoÂslav RepuÂblic of MaceÂdoÂnia (FYROM) to the borÂder camp IdoÂmeÂni in Greece in March 2016. The claiÂmants assert that FYROM’s pracÂtiÂce of collÂecÂtiÂve and often vioÂlent expulÂsiÂons breaÂches the EuroÂpean ConÂvenÂtiÂon on Human Rights.
The EuroÂpean CenÂter for ConÂstiÂtuÂtioÂnal and Human Rights (ECCHR) and Pro Asyl proÂviÂde supÂport for the comÂplaints. They see theÂse legal proÂceeÂdings as an important step in the struggÂle against push-backs at EuroÂpean borÂders and for refuÂgees’ funÂdaÂmenÂtal “right to have rights.” The appliÂcants are repreÂsenÂted by ECCHR’s coopeÂraÂting attÂorÂney CarsÂten GeriÂcke from Hamburg.
“The cloÂsure of the Greek-MaceÂdoÂniÂan borÂder made legal entÂry into EuroÂpe via the BalÂkan rouÂte de facÂto imposÂsiÂble,” said ECCHR GeneÂral SecreÂtaÂry WolfÂgang Kaleck. “FYROM’s use of push-backs against refuÂgees in tranÂsit vioÂlaÂtes human rights, as do the unlawful borÂder opeÂraÂtiÂons conÂducÂted by Spain at the exterÂnal borÂders of EuroÂpe.” Karl Kopp, Pro Asyl’s SpoÂkesperÂson for EuroÂpe adds: “In a EuroÂpe chaÂracÂteÂriÂzed by walls and fenÂces, the ECtHR in StrasÂburg offers hope that vicÂtims of sysÂteÂmaÂtic unlawful collÂecÂtiÂve expulÂsiÂon from FYROM to Greece may find a meaÂsuÂre of justice.”
The two women and six men (names withÂheld for proÂtecÂtion) crossed the Greek–Macedonian borÂder alongÂside approÂxiÂmÂateÂly 1,500 other refuÂgees on 14 March 2016. The MaceÂdoÂniÂan miliÂtaÂry appreÂhenÂded them and forced them back to Greece through improÂviÂsed holes in the newÂly conÂsÂtrucÂted borÂder fence. The claiÂmants had no posÂsiÂbiÂliÂty to ask for asylÂum or to take legal action against their sumÂmaÂry deporÂtaÂtiÂon from FYROM. TheÂse push-backs carÂriÂed out witÂhout any conÂsideÂraÂtiÂon of indiÂviÂduÂal cirÂcumÂsÂtances vioÂlaÂte ArticÂle 4 ProÂtoÂcol 4 (proÂhiÂbiÂtiÂon of collÂecÂtiÂve expulÂsiÂon) and ArticÂle 13 (right to an effecÂtiÂve remeÂdy) of the EuroÂpean ConÂvenÂtiÂon on Human Rights.
SinÂce 2014 ECCHR has used straÂteÂgic litiÂgaÂtiÂon to conÂtest the push-back pracÂtiÂces in EuroÂpe. It also proÂviÂded supÂport for the ECtHR comÂplaints of two indiÂviÂduÂals against Spain’s push-back pracÂtiÂce at the borÂder in MelÂilÂla. BeginÂning in 2012 Pro Asyl has docuÂmenÂted the numÂeÂrous push-back opeÂraÂtiÂons in the AegeÂan and supÂportÂed the surÂviÂvors of the FarmÂaÂkoÂniÂsi borÂder surÂveilÂlanÂce opeÂraÂtiÂon befoÂre the ECtHR.
ContÂact:
ECCHR, AnaÂbel BerÂmeÂjo – Tel.: + 49 (0) 172 – 587 00 87, E‑Mail: bermejo@ecchr.eu
PRO ASYL, Karl Kopp – Tel.: +49 (0)174 3384762, E‑Mail: presse@proasyl.de