ICRC - Hellenic Police workshop reaffirms Greek authorities' commitment to humane, dignified conditions for migrants in detention

On 23 and 24 November 2016, the Hellenic Police and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) organized the second workshop on immigration detention in Athens, Greece. The two-day workshop focused on managing places of detention, identifying vulnerable migrants and strengthening procedural safeguards for staff and detainees.

In his opening address, Alternate Secretary General for Citizen Protection Tzanetos Filippakos, from the Ministry of the Interior, acknowledged the special significance of these workshops, where ICRC experts came to share their experience and pragmatic proposals to improve the administration of detention centres in Greece. Underlining the government's commitment to international and national law on conditions of detention, he also offered assurances about the government's position, which was not in favour of strict, long-term detention of migrants.

Formally opening the event, Sari Nissi, head of the ICRC mission in Greece, noted: "The two days of dialogue and exchanges are an opportunity to identify and propose ways to improve migrants' conditions of detention in Greece. This workshop demonstrates the Hellenic Police and the ICRC's commitment to working together constructively since 2012." Ms Nissi also emphasized the importance of exploring alternatives to detention on a case-by-case basis.

A third workshop on this subject will be held in early 2017.

For further information, please contact:
Fragkiska Megaloudi, ICRC Press Officer Athens, +30 210 8259069