UN expresses shock over ‘humiliating’ treatment of refugees on Türkiye-Greece border

News About Turkey - NAT
3 Min Read

The office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has condemned the “humiliating treatment” of refugees on Türkiye-Greece border.

“The UNHCR is deeply stressed by the shocking reports from and images of 92 persons whose clothes have been taken off, stated to be found on Greece-Turkey border,” the commissioner’s office wrote yesterday (October 16) on Twitter.

“We condemn such cruel and degrading treatment and call for a full investigation into this incident.”

BBC Turkish service reported that the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, Frontex has announced that most of the 92 were men coming from Afghanistan or Syria. It is not yet clear why the migrants did not have their clothes on.

Greece and Turkey have put the blame on each other regarding the incident.

“Illegal migration as an instrument”

According to Euronews, the authorities in Grece said that some of these refugees who entered Greece passed through the Maritza river, which makes up the border between the two countries.

Takis Theodorikakos, the Minister for the Protection of Citizens in Greece said in his statement on the event, “They are brought to the border with the military vehicles of Turkey. Turkey is using illegal migration as an instrument.”

The Ministry of Migration and Asylum of Greece said on October 16 that “The provocative actions of Turkey have exceeded all limits.”

Ankara’s response

Türkiye’s Communications Director Fahrettin Altun, responded to the allegations on his social media accounts.

“The Greek machine for lying is again active,” he wrote. “Greek authorities should, first of all, give an account of the babies drowned in the Aegean because of them, with the cooperation of Frontex or the people whose clothes they have taken off and who they have beaten with belts and who have frozen to death on Maritza.”

Altun invited Greece to “give up its degrading attitude towards migrants at once, to stop the ungrounded and false accusations towards Turkey and to act as a serious state.” (SD/PE/VK)

Source:Bianet

Share This Article
Founded by a small group of Turkish/Kurdish scholars who have been subjected to persecution at the hands of the Erdogan dictatorship, News About Turkey (NAT) has emerged as a platform that is both exceptional and invaluable. Our objective is to provide you with a comprehensive and sophisticated understanding of the events and developments in Turkey (Türkiye), a country with profound historical and geopolitical importance, a vibrant culture, and a strategic location. Our founders, who have been purged by the Erdogan regime after the so-called coup attempt, are aware of the significance of journalism that is both free and independent. Because of this understanding, we are committed to providing reporting and analysis that is both objective and comprehensive. To give you the most thorough coverage of Turkey, we go further than just scratching the surface. Keep in touch with us so that you can have a better understanding of Turkey's developing story as well as vital and comprehensive news items. Whether you are a resident of Turkey, a member of the Turkish/Kurdish diaspora, or simply someone who has a strong interest in this vital country, we are the most reliable source for news that not only informs but also inspires and engages you.
Leave a comment