Child custody

Some 2,500 children asked for asylum in Greece in 2017

Some 2,500 unaccompanied minors applied for asylum in Greece last year, around 8 percent of the total 31,400 child refugees who sought asylum in European Union countries in 2017.

Italy received a relatively large chunk of applications for asylum - more than 10,000, or 32 percent of the total - followed by Germany, with 9,100 applications (29 percent).

Police relocate 600 migrants from disused factories in Patra to state facilities

The Greek Police early on Tuesday relocated hundreds of migrants from makeshift camps that have sprung up in disused factories in the port of Patra over the past few months.

The operation began at 5.30 in the morning with officers entering the two camps simultaneously to inform the migrants of their imminent relocation.

Around 10 People Injured in Clashes at Moria Migrant Camp on Lesvos

Around 10 people were rushed to hospital on Lesvos on Tuesday night following violent clashes between rival groups in the Moria refugee and migrant camp, Ekathimerini reported.

Riot police were called in to quell the unrest, which reportedly broke out between rival groups of Iraqi and Afghan nationals and resulted in several small fires being set.

At least 19,000 refugee and migrant minors “trapped” in hotspots in Greece

At least 19,000 refugee and immigrant children are trapped in Greece, according to estimates based on data collected and analysed by UNISEF. International organisations openly warn about the physical risks they come up against while living in overcrowded hotspots in Greece.

Alarm raised over detention of unaccompanied minor refugees

An investigation conducted by the Greek Ombudsman from July 17 to 19 has revealed what it describes as "blatant violations of the rights of unaccompanied, underage refugees and migrants."

The independent authority referred to prolonged detention in unsafe and inappropriate conditions at police stations and refugee centers across northern Greece as the main violations.

Unaccompanied minors being wrongly registered as adults

Human Rights Watch (HRW) has criticized Greek authorities for mishandling the registration and housing of unaccompanied refugees under the age of 18 on Lesvos.

According to a statement released on Wednesday by HRW, which spoke to 20 refugee children on the eastern Aegean island, unaccompanied minors as young as 15 have been wrongly registered as adults.

Millions of euros in funding for refugee housing wasted

It is a very serious matter that 2.5 million euros in European Union funding for the development of housing units for unaccompanied young refugees is going to waste due to opposition from local residents to having such a unit in their area, but also major delays by the state in putting the funds to their proper use.

Pages