Equal Legal Aid

Today marks one year since Hamas' attack in Israel, killing 1,200 people and taking hundreds of hostages. One year since the Israeli war machine unleashed its full weight on Gaza, resulting in mass destruction and a humanitarian catastrophe. One year of Palestinian genocide. This tragic anniversary is marked by the horrific escalation of terror and violations of international law. The destruction and human suffering has spread to Lebanon, where more than 2000 people have been killed and 1 million displaced in just 10 days. Our thoughts are with all the victims and their families who continue to bear the burden of this unimaginable tragedy. On this deadly day of remembrance, we call on the international community to intervene with urgency, to uphold justice, to work for an immediate ceasefire and an end to the occupation. #CeaseFireNow

In the last week alone, Israeli bombs have killed more than 1150* people in Lebanon. So far, 1 million people have been displaced, including 100,000 who have fled to Syria. Mobile Info Team and ELA have supported people who have fled the Middle East seeking safety in Europe for many years. Over the past year especially, we have been contacted by Palestinians living in Greece who are desperate to reunite with family members trapped in Gaza. We are horrified at the war crimes of Israel's far-right government, whether they are happening in the West Bank, Gaza or Lebanon. We repeat and join the call of international organisations for an immediate ceasefire in Lebanon, the Occupied Palestinian territories and Gaza, the guarantee of protection for civilians, unrestricted access to humanitarian aid and medical evacuations, and the establishment of safe routes. For all those seeking safety in Europe, we urge for the right to asylum to be upheld. ➡️We join the Left group of the European Parliament in calling for the suspension of the EU’s trade and association agreement with Israel and demand an immediate and unconditional arms embargo on Israel. https://lnkd.in/eASnFSke ➡️ To donate directly to citizen-led initiatives providing aid to displaced populations in Lebanon: https://lnkd.in/eKMZDbA3 *Report from the Lebanese Ministry of Public Health. #StopSendingArms #EndtheOccupation #CeasefireNow

WE DEMAND SAFE PASSAGE NOW! 🌊 Every year, countless lives are lost at sea as people are forced into dangerous journeys in search of safety. This ongoing crisis is fueled by the absence of safe, legal pathways for asylum seekers and those in need of international protection. The urgency for action is clear: we must push for policies that prioritize human life over borders. Our thoughts are with the survivors, the families of the victims and our colleagues working tirelessly on the ground. #SafePassage #HumanRights

📩 Our newsletter of September is out! Read it here: https://lnkd.in/dzkCZm8w] Subscribe to our monthly newsletter: https://lnkd.in/duaRh4Ky

Human Rights on trial The New EU’s Facilitation directive 🚷 In November 2023, the European Commission has proposed a new directive to prevent and fight the facilitation of unauthorised entry, transit and stay in the EU. While the proposal claims to target organised criminal networks, numerous organisations have warned that it is likely to lead to the increased criminalisation of people on the move and the ones acting in solidarity with them. 🚫 It lowers the requirements for prosecution for migrant smuggling, allowing criminal sanctions even without proof of financial or material benefit. This could enhance the prosecution of people providing humanitarian assistance. 🤝 The 'humanitarian exception' is vague and limited, protecting only actions aimed at meeting people's 'basic human needs' defined as food, personal hygiene and a place to stay. 👨👩👧👦 The definition of family members excluded of prosecution are strictly limited to spouse, long term partners, parents and children. 🆘 It extends the jurisdiction of member states to prosecute offences committed on ships or planes or in international waters before reaching the EU. According to Platform for Undocumented Migrants (PICUM), the proposed new legislation could open up the risk that organisations or individuals providing public information on the services available to asylum seekers, such as a list of local actors or a map of relevant resources, could be accused of 'publicly inciting' or facilitating irregular migration. This would be punishable by at least three years' imprisonment. The proposal focuses heavily on criminalising smuggling, while failing to address the lack of safe and legal migration pathways that drive people to rely on smugglers in the first place. In 2023 alone, at least 117 people were prosecuted for assisting displaced people in the EU, while 76 asylum seekers were prosecuted for crossing the border. The new directive risks exacerbating this worrying trend, further endangering people on the move and those who support them. Instead of reinforcing criminalisation, the EU must adopt a rights-based approach that prioritises the safety, dignity and access to asylum of displaced people. #HumanRights #SolidarityNotCriminalisation #MigrantRights #EUDirective #SafeMigration

🚨 Human rights on trial Part 2: The criminalisation of solidarity Civic space in Greece has been steadily shrinking, particularly in the treatment of asylum seekers and those defending their rights. Humanitarians and activists face increasing legal and political harassment, often through unfounded charges and investigations designed to discredit their vital work. ⚖️ As a result, in 2023, Civicus has downgraded Greece's civic space rating from 'restricted' to 'obstructed.' A prominent example is the 2018 prosecution of 24 humanitarian workers involved in search and rescue operations in the Aegean Sea. Charged with smuggling, money laundering, and espionage, their cases illustrate the criminalisation of solidarity. Among them were Nassos Karakitsos, the head of operations, and volunteers Sean Binder and Sara Mardini, who were detained for 106 days without charge. 🔍 By February 2024, 16 of the 24 had been cleared of all charges in the misdemeanour trial. However, the felony trial is still pending and will take place in the current year 2024-2025. 📢 In November 2022, the Greek authorities targeted the NGOs Greek Helsinki Monitor and Aegean Boat Report, which denounce human rights violations in Greece and in particular illegal pushbacks in the Aegean Sea. They are accused of running criminal organisations that facilitate the illegal entry and stay of migrants. If convicted, the directors of these two organisations could face up to 20 years in prison. ⚠️ This misuse of the legal system to target humanitarians not only violates international obligations but also undermines democracy and human rights. Greece must respect the role of human rights defenders and create an environment in which they can work without fear of harassment and prosecution. #HumanRights #AsylumSeekers #DefendTheDefenders #RuleOfLaw #StopCriminalization #RefugeeRights #JusticeForAll #ProtectHumanRights #GreeceCrisis #SupportActivists #SolidarityWithRefugees

Across Europe, we are witnessing a worrying rise in the criminalisation of displaced people seeking safety and those who support them. The situation at Greece's borders is particularly alarming: In 2022, a shocking 1,374 people were arrested for 'smuggling'. Many were simply trying to find safety, unaware that their actions could be criminalised, or were forced to drive boats for reduced passage fees. ⚖️❌Boat and car drivers are often falsely accused on the basis of faulty evidence or unreliable testimony. Convictions often follow unfair trials in which migrants face harsh treatment, limited legal aid and inadequate translation services. Human rights defenders have exposed serious flaws in these trials: 🚫🛑 Arbitrary detention and gross human rights violations are widespread. Detainees are often subjected to violence, have no access to legal counsel or interpreters, and are denied their right to seek asylum. ⏱️These trials are appallingly short, averaging just 37 minutes, with state-appointed lawyers sometimes handling cases in as little as 17 minutes. In one shocking case, a trial lasted just 6 minutes. Verdicts are often based on questionable evidence, often from a single officer who failed to appear for cross-examination in 68% of cases. ❗ These rushed and flawed trials result in devastating sentences, averaging 46 years in prison and fines of over €330,000. 🛑 The media often fails to address the criminalisation of migrants, a practice that blatantly violates human rights. Misguided anti-smuggling policies, rather than protecting individuals, actually harm the rights of displaced people and their allies. #HumanRights #EndCriminalisation

🚨 30 Days Until Homayoun’s Appeal Trial ⏳ Homayoun's appeal trial, which was due to take place in April after he was unfairly sentenced to 18 years in prison in Thessaloniki, has been postponed until 24 September. Four years ago, on 25 August 2021, Homayoun Sabetara, an asylum seeker fleeing Iran, was arrested by Greek authorities in Thessaloniki. He had driven a vehicle with seven other people across the Turkish-Greek border. Instead of finding safety, he was arrested, charged with 'smuggling' and subjected to an unfair trial conducted in a language he did not understand. Despite a clear lack of evidence and a questionable trial based mainly on the written testimony of a witness who never appeared in court, Homayoun was sentenced to 18 years' imprisonment on 26 September 2022. He has been unjustly imprisoned in Greece ever since. The first hearing of the appeal took place on 22 April 2024, but was postponed until 24 September 2024. This decision could finally bring him the justice he deserves. ⚖️ 🚫 Homayoun's case is emblematic of a wider, alarming trend within the European Union to criminalise people on the basis of their migration status. This strategic criminalisation by the EU has led to numerous human rights abuses, including discriminatory profiling, arbitrary detention and family separation. People like Homayoun, who are forced to cross borders irregularly due to the lack of safe migration pathways, find themselves pushed into the shadows, vulnerable to exploitation and abuse by both state and private actors. The criminalisation of migration is a direct attack on civic space and the rule of law within the EU. It punishes people not for crimes, but for the mere act of seeking asylum - a fundamental human right. We demand justice for Homayoun Sabatera! Drawings: Yourgos Konstantinou #freeHomayoun #EndCriminalizationOfMigration #HumanRights

📢 Six-Month Report: Legal Aid for Asylum Seekers in 2024 Between January 1st and June 30th, 2024, ELA's dedicated lawyers provided critical support to asylum seekers in Greece: 📝 21 First Appeals ⚖️ 18 Requests for Provisional Measures 🔍 1 Reexamination Appeal 🛑 24 Requests for Annulment 🗣 4 Complaints to the Greek Ombudsman Legal representation is mandatory and costly in these proceedings, but legal aid is not always guaranteed. Many asylum seekers are unfairly denied assistance, leaving them vulnerable and unable to exercise their rights. ELA steps in to bridge this gap, ensuring that those most in need receive the support they deserve. 💪 #HumanRights #LegalAid #AsylumSeekers #JusticeForAll #ELA

📢 Legal aid for asylum seekers in 2024 Between January and June, ELA's team of volunteers provided 33 legal clinics in northern Greece. During this period, we received 441 enquiries on the ELA hotline. A heartfelt thank you to our amazing volunteer interpreters and lawyers for their dedicated work and support over the past six months! #LegalAid #AsylumSeekers #VolunteerWork #CommunitySupport #ELA #ImpactReport