World : Press Release: Detention centre in Lesvos‏ - Unaccompanied minor severely self-injured himself in Moria “first reception”

http://lesvos.w2eu.net/2014/07/21/press-release-unaccompanied-minor-severely-self-injured-himself-in-moria-first-reception-detention-centre-in-lesvos/

Press Release: Unaccompanied minor severely self-injured himself in
Moria “first reception” detention centre in Lesvos
Posted on July 21, 2014 by momo
PRESS RELEASE 21.07.14 Lesvos

Unaccompanied minor severely self-injured himself in Moria “first
reception” detention centre in Lesvos

On 17/7/2014 a 17-year-old Afghan who had been detained for many days in
Moria awaiting his transfer to a special reception centre for minors cut
his arms in an act of despair and protest as he could not stand anymore
being closed up for many days and under such conditions. He was
transferred to the psychiatry department of the local hospital.

In Greece there are 10 reception centres for unaccompanied minors with
about 330 places in total that need to cover the needs of thousands. At
the same time that a vast number of reception places are lacking many
minors fear long detention upon arrival in Greece in so called First
Reception Camps (detention centres) if they register with their real age
and register themselves as adults. The background: Unaccompanied minors
arriving in first reception centres have to undergo a number of medical
examinations and then wait for a place in one of the overcrowded
reception centres in order to be released. The detention duration varies
and can reach one month or more months, while delays depend on the
crowdedness in the reception facilities.

As a consequence hundreds of unaccompanied minors register as adults.
They are being transferred to Pre-removal Detention Centres at the
mainland, such as Amigdaleza, Corinth, Komotini, Xanthi, Fylakio or
Drama / Parenesti where legal aid is not existing. When they realise
that they end up facing 18 months detention or more due to their changed
age all of them try to find ways to proof that they are minors.

Anyhow, if age-assesment has taken place already in First Reception
Detention it is unlikely if not impossible (without the help of a
lawyer) the authorities will approve a second age-assesment later.
Age-assesment procedures have been recently defined in a Ministerial
Decision for First Reception but not for Pre-Removal Detention Centres.
As a result the procedures vary in the different places and more than
that the ways and methods carried out are highly questionable. For this
reason among others many unaccompanied minors end up in 18 month detention.

We demand for the immediate creation of sufficient special reception
centres for unaccompanied minors. In this frame the Reception Centre for
Unaccompanied Minors in Agiassos, Lesvos, which was closed earlier this
year despite the huge need should be re-opened with the necessary
funding to allow for its functioning.

And we demand for the immediate release of all unaccompanied minors in
first reception detention centres, pre-removal centres or any other form
of detention. As provided for in the Guidelines on Policies and
Procedures in dealing with Unaccompanied Children Seeking Asylum from
UNHCR (1997) “(T)he child should be given the benefit of the doubt if
the exact age is uncertain” and “the main guiding principle in any child
care and protection action is the principle of the ‘best interest of the
child’”.

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Marily Stroux 6949933150

210714 Press Release (in English and Greek)