"Regresa, o a la cárcel": Dentro de la Organización Internacional para las Migraciones y el fallido programa de retorno de migrantes de Grecia.
@phesimeonid.bsky.social and Hope Barker para @newhumanitarian.bsky.social
www.thenewhumanitarian.org/investigatio...

"Greece’s new deportation bill, the number of people in detention is set to rise again. This will be a boon to IOM’s returns programme, [AVRR] which will be able to offer its services to this trapped population..."Return or Prison" =new #migration policy

www.thenewhumanitarian.org/investigatio...

Greece’s new Minister of Migration, Thanos Plevris, has given a blunt ultimatum to those he calls “illegal migrants” in the country: “return, or prison”.

“Return, or prison”: Inside IOM and Greece’s failing migrant return scheme: www.thenewhumanitarian.org/investigatio... IOM’s office in Greece pledged to return 16,500 people between 2019 and 2022. It only managed to return around 10,600 people, even after the programme was extended by 10 months.

If you really don't like videos, and would much rather read (and support) print journalism, check out the story we just published on this @newhumanitarian.bsky.social

www.thenewhumanitarian.org/investigatio...

cc @phesimeonid.bsky.social @hopeamelie.bsky.social

Greece's Migration Minister has threatened whom he calls "illegal migrants" with "return, or prison".

So who are these migrants? And how does @iom.int stand to benefit?

@hopeamelie.bsky.social, @anasambri.bsky.social and @phesimeonid.bsky.social investigate.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwvR...

Big shutout to @menacius.bsky.social and @lstamellos.bsky.social from @omniatv.com for their excellent support in filming, editing and producing the video. We really could not have done it without them!

It's here: www.youtube.com/watch?v=IwvR...

Greece's new Migration Minister has threatened whom he calls "illegal migrants" with "return, or prison".

So who are these migrants? And how does @iom.int stand to $$$ benefit?

With @hopeamelie.bsky.social and @phesimeonid.bsky.social for @omniatv.com

J-2

Voluntary returns also allow EU authorities to circumvent international law, and the need for readmission agreements, as explained by @ec.europa.eu's Return Coordinator Ms. Mari Juritsch

#VoluntaryReturnsEverywhere

J-4

Dr @jfcrisp.bsky.social explains the three main reasons why a state would much rather deport people through so-called voluntary returns: safety, good PR, and cost.

#VoluntaryReturnsEverywhere

J-6

Professor @jpcassarino.bsky.social explains why the term "voluntary returns" is a misnomer, and that we are all better off calling them for what they really are: expulsions

#VoluntaryReturnsEverywhere

J-7
#IJ4EU #VoluntaryReturnsEverywhere

For a potentially good first step, you would run the image through Google Lens, which would give a good indication of the country or region where such buildings exist.

Welcome to @quiztime.bsky.social and it’s #MondayQuiz

🖼️ Can you find the exact spot?
📬 reply just to me with an answer
🤝 reply to all for collaboration
🌈 have fun

#VoluntaryReturnsEverywhere

@hopeamelie.bsky.social @phesimeonid.bsky.social @omniatv.com

Coming soon #VoluntaryReturnsEverywhere

@hopeamelie.bsky.social @phesimeonid.bsky.social @omniatv.com

6 months after the publication of our investigation, Cyprus continues to deport Syrians under its so-called voluntary returns programme.

Figures from @ec.europa.eu's statistical office show almost 2,300 deportations since January.

Each returnee receives €1,500 right before they depart.

🚨Wir zeigen Innenminister Alexander Dobrindt an!
Er weiß, dass Zurückweisungen an der Grenze rechtswidrig sind – und macht trotzdem weiter. Wir lassen das nicht durchgehen und stellen gemeinsam mit Equal Rights Beyond Borders Strafanzeige: fragdenstaat.de/artikel/stra...

Human rights lawyer Nicoletta Charalambidou writes about how "voluntary returns" of Syrians from Cyprus are neither voluntary nor dignified for @bordercrim.bsky.social:

blogs.law.ox.ac.uk/border-crimi...

Also mentions the investigation by @hopeamelie.bsky.social and I into that very same scheme

Glad to see our investigation featured in @theecre.bsky.social's Asylum in Cyprus report for 2024.

Our investigation would not have been possible without relying extensively on these same reports.

cc @hopeamelie.bsky.social

asylumineurope.org/wp-content/u...

Hans Leijtens took the Frontex reins with a vow to renew the agency’s commitment to rights and transparency. With Europe’s leaders taking a hard line on migration and his initial strategy being adapted, is he fighting a losing battle? Our latest BIRN investigation
balkaninsight.com/2025/04/08/p...

Wir haben ein neues Testimonial.

Less than a month ago, @hopeamelie.bsky.social and I revealed how such coercion was pervasive throughout Cyprus' so-called voluntary returns programme, and was now being used against the 30,000 Syrian population in the country.

bsky.app/profile/anas...

"If you don't have money, tell me, and I will arrange," is how a police officer tried to convince 2 detained Congolese asylum seekers to leave Cyprus:
www.youtube.com/watch?v=brCd...

The asylum seekers spent 3 months in detention at Larnaca airport, where they had arrived on a tourist visa.

Right now/so far most of what I've done is research/investigations (on Frontex's and the European border regime's abuses/violence), I guess that's one way to contribute.
I'm sure there are more things in my city that I haven't noticed, but at the same time in 26 years of living here I've really ...