Joint call to protest on 30+31/03/2012

Joint call to protest on Friday 30 March 2012

For the sixth consecutive week, the undersigning entities and organisations hereby issue an open invitation to attend our solidarity protest outside the Attica Aliens Directorate at Petrou Ralli, from Friday evening, 30 March 2012 until dawn Saturday, 31 March 2012 (05:00- 06:00 am).

The police authorities in Attica- following their usual practice of the past years- refuse to accept asylum applications and agree to register only an exceptionally low number of asylum claims, only on Saturday dawn, following arbitrary procedures and under deplorable waiting conditions. The culminating point of this unacceptable policy was the absolute refusal of the police to register any asylum applications last Saturday, 24 March 2012. As a result, persons who are entitled to international protection have been deprived thereof and are at imminent risk of arrest during random document checks or in the course of "group arrest", of lengthy detention under conditions which often constitute inhuman and degrading treatment and deportation to countries where they are not safe.

We DENOUNCE the illegal police practice of preventing and excluding access to the asylum procedure to persons who seek to submit such an application, including vulnerable groups such as unaccompanied minors, persons who are ill and women; we hereby express our deepest concern about the manner in which they are being treated and their deplorable waiting conditions.

WE HEREBY SHOW OUR SOLIDARITY to all those who were forced to flee from their countries because their life, freedom or dignity were in danger, due to State oppression, war or poverty.

WE HEREBY CONTINUE TO DEMAND

- Unobstructed access to the asylum procedure every day and without mediators
- Refuge and social protection to asylum-seekers
- An end to the degradation imposed by the authorities every day and every Saturday morning at Petrou Ralli

AFGHAN COMMUNITY IN GREECE
ΑITIMA
AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL
ANTIGONE
ΑRSIS
BABEL DAY CENTRE
ECUMENICAL REFUGEE PROGRAM
FORUM OF MIGRANT WORKERS
GREEK COUNCIL FOR REFUGEES
GREEK FORUM OF MIGRANTS
GREEK FORUM OF REFUGEES
GREEK HELSINKI MONITOR
GROUP OF LAWYERS FOR THE RIGHTS OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
MOVEMENT AGAINST RACISM AND THE FASCIST THREAT
MOVEMENT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS AND SOLIDARITY TO REFUGEES OF SAMOS ISLAND
NETWORK FOR THE RIGHTS OF THE CHILD
NETWORK FOR POLITICAL AND SOCIAL RIGHTS
NETWORK FOR SOCIAL SUPPORT OF MIGRANTS AND REFUGEES
PAKISTANI COMMUNITY IN GREECE
PRAXIS
REFUGEE SOLIDARITY COMMITTEE OF CHIOS- LATHRA SUDANESE REFUGEES LEAGUE