Watch The Med Alarm Phone Investigations – 30th of March 2022

Case name: 2022_03_30-AEG875
Situation: 34 people stuck on an islet in the Evros river for five days.
Status of WTM Investigation: Concluded
Place of Incident: Eastern Med

Summary of the Case:
On 30th of March Alarm Phone receives a message saying:

"We have been stuck for two days on a Greek island in the Evros river. We have young children, women and an old man. We suffer from lack of food and two children are in poor health. We hope to help us reach the Cross or the Red Crescent. We cannot get out of here and our situation is tragic. Please help us. This is our situation for two days. We suffer from cold, but we cannot light a fire to warm up because of the Greek army and the children are suffering from cold in the middle of the island. Greek soldiers terrify children and women with their methods, they want us to surrender ourselves to take us back to Turkey."

At noon Alarm Phone alerted Greek authorities, Frontex and UNHCR in order to assist the group in getting off the islet. On the phone, Greek officers first told Alarm Phone they did not find the group. They later acknowledged, however, knowing about the case and assured to bring the people to Greece. Despite their promises, the group remains stuck on the islet without any help. The people reported that Turkish as well as Greek authorities were there, filming them, driving by in cars, not assisting and not speaking to the people. Also, Frontex confirmed having received the distress call, however only forwarding it to the Greek authorities. Once again, Frontex stays inactive and puts people’s lives at risk. During the whole time we were in contact with the people, they suffered from the cold and a lack of food and water. After an application for Interim Measures at the European Court of Humans Rights had been made, the court decided on March 31st that the Greek state is obliged to give shelter and food to the people. Shortly after that a group of masked man came on the island and insisted to take the children with them, which the people refused.

Only in the morning of the 1st of April the entire group was rescued and taken to Greece by the Greek Authorities.