A Blueprint for Despair: Human Rights Impact of the EU-Turkey Deal

This briefing is based on desk and field research carried out between March 2016 and January 2017. The desk based research consisted mainly of a survey of relevant Greek legislation and a review of reports by governmental and non-governmental sources, including by European Commission or EU Agencies, on the implementation of the EU-Turkey Statement, the functioning of the Greek asylum system and the treatment of asylum-seekers and migrants on the Greek islands. The field research involved nine visits in Greece including seven visits in Lesvos, three in Chios and one in Samos. During the field visits, Amnesty International delegations met with refugees, asylum-seekers and migrants, lawyers, non-governmental organizations, UNHCR and IOM, and Greek authorities, including representatives from the Greek police and the Greek Asylum Service. Written information requests were also submitted to the Greek police, Greek Asylum Service, the Reception and Identification Service, the Minister for Migration Policy and Frontex.