euronews.com
Council of Europe Urges Greece to End Migrant Pushbacks
The Council of Europe urged Greece to strengthen border controls and end summary returns of migrants following reports of illegal deportations; Greece denies wrongdoing, citing legal border controls and a decrease in recent allegations, but is also increasing detention periods for rejected asylum seekers.
- What are the immediate consequences of the Council of Europe's recommendations regarding Greece's migrant return policies?
- The Council of Europe (CoE) urges Greece to strengthen border safeguards and end summary returns of migrants, citing ongoing allegations of illegal deportations despite a recent decrease in reported incidents. Greece denies these allegations, claiming its border controls comply with international law. The CoE's commissioner for human rights noted that the number of allegations has decreased in recent months.
- How do the recent actions of the Greek government concerning asylum seekers relate to the ongoing allegations of illegal deportations?
- The CoE's recommendations follow a European Court of Human Rights ruling against Greece for violating human rights conventions through systematic migrant expulsions. Greece's response includes extending detention periods for rejected asylum seekers to 24 months, aiming to encourage voluntary departures. The Greek government maintains its actions are legal.
- What are the potential long-term implications of Greece's approach to migration on its relationship with the European Union and international human rights organizations?
- Greece's intensified migration policies, including extended detention periods and a stated 'zero-tolerance' approach, may exacerbate human rights concerns despite a reported decrease in pushback allegations. Increased scrutiny from the EU's Frontex agency, investigating 12 serious incidents, suggests ongoing challenges in balancing border security with human rights compliance.
Cognitive Concepts
Framing Bias
The headline and introduction emphasize the Council of Europe's criticism and the Greek government's response, framing the narrative around the legality of the actions rather than the human rights violations themselves. The article gives significant weight to Greece's denials and efforts to strengthen border control, potentially minimizing the gravity of the allegations.
Language Bias
The article uses neutral language in most instances. However, terms like "illegal migrants" and "summary returns" could be considered loaded. More neutral alternatives might be "irregular migrants" or "expulsions without due process.
Bias by Omission
The article focuses heavily on the Greek government's perspective and actions, while giving less detailed accounts of migrant experiences and perspectives. The specific human rights abuses mentioned are not detailed, and the number of migrants affected by pushbacks isn't specified. This omission limits the reader's ability to fully grasp the scale and impact of the alleged human rights violations.
False Dichotomy
The article presents a false dichotomy by framing the issue as a choice between strong border control and human rights violations. It doesn't explore alternative approaches to border management that could balance security with the protection of human rights.
Sustainable Development Goals
The article highlights allegations of illegal deportations and pushbacks of migrants at Greece's borders, violating international human rights laws and undermining the rule of law. The European Court of Human Rights ruling against Greece further emphasizes the gravity of these violations. The Greek government's response and planned extension of detention periods for rejected asylum seekers also raise concerns about due process and fair treatment of migrants. These actions directly contradict the principles of justice, human rights, and the rule of law, hindering progress towards SDG 16.