Together with 7 other NGOs, HRLP raises the alarm about the inhumane and degrading living conditions in the Closed and Controlled Access Centre (CCAC) of Samos.
In an open letter addressed to the Greek Ministry of Migration & Asylum and the Greek Ministry of Health, 8 Civil Society organizations active in the areas of asylum and migration on the island of Samos, urgently called on the authorities to take immediate and effective action to address these inhumane conditions and to ensure full compliance with applicable EU and national laws.
Currently, more than 4, 600 people reside in the CCAC, which was originally conceived to accommodate only 2, 040 people. In 2023, the Ministry of Migration & Asylum arbitrarily changed the official capacity of the camp from 2,040 to 3,650 people, without making any structural interventions to practically increase accommodation spaces.
As a result, amidst a rapid increase in migrant boat arrivals on the island of Samos, the camp residents are being subject to inhumane living conditions which pose a grave threat to their health, dignity and personal safety.
In their joint statement, the local NGOs underline the following key concerns:
- Overcrowding
- Lack of sleeping accommodation, beds, mats, blankets and clothing
- Failure to install 64 Refugee Housing units donated by UNHCR in 2023
- Lack of adequate access to running water
- Poor hygiene infrastructure, secession of laundry services, & lack of hygienic products
- Lack of waste management & poor sanitary conditions
- Lack of sufficient medical care & absence of state-appointed doctor
- Lack of safety measures to protect vulnerable residents (unaccompanied minors, single women, single-headed families etc.)
The letter addressed to the competent authorities, stresses Greece’s commitment to respect its international obligations in the field of asylum and reception, comply with EU and national law and uphold the fundamental rights guaranteed by the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights.
In particular, the statement refers to the EU Reception Conditions Directive (Directive 2013/33/EU) and Law 4636/2019 (International Protection Act) which impose clear obligations to ensure that all individuals, regardless of their legal status, are housed in conditions that meet basic standards of safety, hygiene, and dignity.
Read the full statement (EN & GR) here:
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