Press releases
EU-Turkey deal: start of returns mark 'Europe's potentially disastrous undoing of commitment to protect refugees'
Amnesty International has a team in Lesvos and Chios in Greece to monitor the situation as deportations begin today (Monday) under the EU-Turkey deal.
From location, Amnesty’s Deputy Europe Director Gauri van Gulik said:
“This morning’s returns are the start of Europe's potentially disastrous undoing of its commitment to protect refugees.“Amid a climate of uncertainty, urgent questions include: what processes are detained refugees in the hotspots going through and what will become of them after their return?“It's evident that Greece and the rest of the European Union are massively underprepared and there are nowhere near enough guarantees in place for the safety of refugees in Turkey. Until this changes, there can be no returns to Turkey.”
Follow the delegation members on Twitter: @GaurivanGulik, @GiorgosKosmop and @WritesRights