Europe News

UNHCR orders closure of immigrant reception centre on Greek island

Aug 24, 2009, 20:14 GMT

Athens - UNHCR, the United Nations refugee agency, on Monday ordered the immediate closure of an immigrant reception centre on the north-eastern Greek island of Lesvos, saying it did not meet with European human right standards. 'We have to immediately close the centre because it does not meet with either European or Greek human right standards,' said UNHCR representative Giorgos Tsarbopoulos, following the inspection of the the over-populated camp for under-aged individuals located in Agiassos. He said that another immigrant camp located in Pagani, just outside of the island's capital, does not have running water and only one toilet for every 100 people. In many cases, the illegal immigrants housed there are forced to sleep on the ground and are only granted an hour's outdoor recreation time every day. More than 150 illegal immigrants went on a hunger strike to protest the centre's poor conditions earlier this month. Tens of thousands of illegal immigrants attempt to sneak into Greece every year via Turkey, mainly from Africa and the Middle East. In the first seven months of 2009 more than 57,000 illegal immigrants entered Greece. Despite the construction of several new immigration reception centres, officials insist Greece is constantly on the receiving line of too many immigrants every day to be able to properly house them according to European standards.

Europe News

UNHCR orders closure of immigrant reception centre on Greek island

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