Protestors from human rights organizations descended on the Greek island of Lesbos on Saturday to oppose the deadly pushbacks of migrants trying to reach Europe.
The demonstrators expressed their frustration with the Greek coast guard and the EU border protection agency Frontex and the role the two play in the dangerous practice. "Pushbacks kill people" and "Burn borders" were some of the slogans on the placards hoisted by the protesters as they marched along the harbor of Lesbos, according to media reports.
Greek Shipping Minister Giannis Plakiotakis had said Friday that all complaints about pushbacks by Greek forces had turned out to be unsubstantiated. Pushbacks are illegal under international law.
But aid groups have charged for years that Greek officials are pushing people back to Turkey. Frequent media reports and research have continued to point to evidence that it is happening.
However, Greece argues that it is simply protecting its own borders, which also happen to be the external boundaries of the European Union.
"The first priority is protecting lives, in line with international law," according to Plakiotakis on Friday. He also noted that tens of thousands of people have been rescued in the Mediterranean in recent years.
Turkey and human rights groups have repeatedly condemned Greece's illegal practice of pushbacks, saying it violates humanitarian values and international law by endangering the lives of vulnerable migrants, including women and children.
The Turkish Coast Guard Command said on June 20 that it has rescued 33,964 irregular migrants in 1,295 pushback incidents carried out by the Greek coast guard since 2020. Ankara has strongly urged Greece and the European Union to act in accordance with international law and human rights in order to end the pushbacks.
