Before Greece’s parliament approved a three‑month suspension of asylum registration for those arriving by sea from North Africa, the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, appealed directly to Greek lawmakers.
Speaking yesterday, he said: “I urge members of the Greek parliament to reject an amendment providing for the suspension of the registration of asylum applications by persons arriving by boat from North Africa, as well as for their forcible return, without registration, to their country of origin or provenance.”
O’Flaherty warned that this proposal would legalize returning individuals to countries where they risk torture or other serious abuses, in flagrant violation of international obligations, including the European Convention on Human Rights and the 1951 Refugee Convention .
He also expressed concern about additional measures announced by Prime Minister Mitsotakis on the same day, including arrests and detention of affected individuals.
“I acknowledge that the increasing arrivals on Gavdos and Crete over the last six months have created new challenges for the Greek authorities. However, as I stressed during my visit to Greece last February, the humanitarian situation would be manageable if authorities had addressed the lack of reception capacity in a timely manner. In any case, all measures taken to address these challenges should respect the applicable international legal instruments. In other words, the authorities must ensure that the human rights of the people concerned are respected, their protection needs are individually and effectively assessed, and that those who qualify for international protection are given access to meaningful protection measures.”
He stressed that any measures to address the crisis must remain in strict compliance with international human rights and refugees law, ensuring individualized needs assessments and genuine protection for those entitled to it.
Greece’s emergency policy unveiled one day later
On 11 July, Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis officially introduced an emergency law, to be debated in parliament, suspending the processing of asylum applications for three months for migrants arriving by boat from North Africa. Migrants entering illegally will be detained and are at risk of rapid deportation without formal registration .
Organizations like the UNHCR have strongly condemned the legislation, warning that it breaches Greece’s legal obligations and violates the principle of non‑refoulment. The UN agency emphasized that the right to seek asylum is universal and must be upheld regardless of the mode of arrival.
