Archive for the 'Detention' Category

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Current Situation

This came from people still in Mytilini (slightly edited):

92 new minors arrived in Mitilini yesterday and where brought to Pagani. That means 140 minors and around 500 people all together are detained in Pagani at this stage.

Two days ago all refugees from one cell refused to return into the cell. But after a while they where forced to do so. Unfortunately there where not more infos about it and noone knew while this happend.

People say that every now and then the prisoners scream FREEDOM and AZADI.

A newspaper is being prepared about the noborder and the other actions around it and more local news to be distributed widely and to be the beginning for an open discussion
in town and further campaigning.

The Frontex boat is still not around. [It might actually have left]

Local people told us that many did not know or did not hear about the actions and they asked for more information. The interest is big to know what they missed.

And the sky is grey since two days.

In the meanwhile, we finally got around to include a form for signing our Dublin-II call. Since the whole idea with signing through the comment function didn’t work so well, we adjusted and now invite you again to support the cause.

There is actually movement on the Dublin-II issue, at least in Germany. The highest court i.e. the constitutional court, ruled yesterday that they would decide on a case brought forward by an Iraqi refugee in Germany. Since he had been registered in Greece before, the german authorities wanted to deport him to Greece so that he could seek asylum there, in accordance with Dublin II. This deportation was now stopped by the constitutional court, and they will have a hearing on the issue.

New hungerstrike in Pagani

Some activists went to Pagani and learnt that there is a new hungerstrike on. 47 minors are on hungerstrike, and four are not even drinking. They don’t receive any medical support. Shut down Pagani!

DSC08485 Kopie

update 4.9.09 A lot has happened. The hunger strike in Pagani is still on, and as reported above, some people even took to a thirst strike. There was a solidarity action at the detention centre yesterday. What is really bad is that they still incarcerate women with babies in Pagani, as you can see on the pictures from yesterday, and the open camp at the airport will be closed tomorrow. So it seems that the authorities really do get back to business as usual. We will not accept this, for sure. In the meanwhile, there is a lot YOU can do. Our video Voices from Inside Pagani has been shown on several TV stations, we know of both German state TV channels, the Dutch TV and CNN (but they always falsly claim that a human rights organisation put the video online. Of course it was noborder). Indeed, the situation in Pagani made news globally, and the heat is still on. You can help by making a protest in your city at the Greek embassy or consulate (if there is), like our friends in Wellington, New Zealand (!) did. You can also follow our email campaign.

In the meanwhile, the Frontex boat from Romania has left, and has been replaced by some military style outfits, having even a special “Operation Poseidon” t-shirt. Last time, they were seen controlling (quite brutally) people that take the ferry to Athens (sic). So there is two conclusions you can take from that: either that Frontex is really doing much more than policing the borders, also starting to take their actions into Schengen mainland, or you are of the impression that Europe is one big border anyway.

Roof of Pagani occupied

P1020175This morning at 10 o’clock, ten noborder activists from Austria, Sweden, Spain, France, Czech Republik, Portugal, the Netherlands and Germany occupied the roof of the refugee jail in Pagani. With this action, we are increasing the pressure to finally get Pagani closed.

Continue reading ‘Roof of Pagani occupied’

Pagani: refugees and activists unite and fight

On Saturday, we reported about the action of prisoners in Pagani, getting out of their cells, demanding their release. Then, there were ongoing negotiations about the release of people, and conflicting numbers. Since the situation was so unclear, we took the article offline, in order to go and find, what was really happening.

The passion for freedom is stronger than any prison!

img_1885

We now have an account of a noborder activist who was present: 29th of August at Pagani detention centre: refugees organise hunger strike for release, no-border-activists occupy prison yard

Continue reading ‘Pagani: refugees and activists unite and fight’

no detention!

Demonstration in Pagani 28 of August, or Day 4 of the noborder lesvos 09 was the action day focussing on Pagani detention centre. If you have been following us over the last days, you are familiar with what is going on there. The noborder camp was mobilising for a big demonstration to Pagani, to again demand the immediate release of all prisoners, the closure of Pagani detention centre and the abolition of detention altogether.

Continue reading ‘no detention!’

Noborder delegation visit to Pagani

Watch these two videos which result from the visit of the noborder delegation to Pagani detention centre. The first video shows again the conditions inside.

The second video is from an interview with two delegates.

Help us close down Pagani

p1010423If you have been following our actions of the last days, you are aware about the immediate necessity to close down the detention centre of Pagani here in Lesvos. Now we call all on everybody out there, wherever you are, to take action. It is quick and easy, and you can really help to make a change: you just need to send a fax or an email.

Continue reading ‘Help us close down Pagani’

Video of Demonstration at Pagani, 26. August 2009

Thanks to the people spending their time cutting video…

200 people to be released from Pagani today

The local authorities are moving: Today, 200 people detained in Pagani, mainly family and women with children, will be released from that horrible jail. They will not be thrown into the streets, rather they will be brought to an existing facility. They will also receive the “white paper”, giving them a semi-legal status for 30 days and granting some freedom of movement within this short period.

We welcome the release of the 200 from Pagani. However, we adamently continue to demand the immediate release of all prisoners from Pagani, the closure of Pagani as a detention centres and the subsequent transformation of Pagani into an open transit centre for refugees offer shelter and food, but no detention.
In the meanwhile, we demand that any refugees and migrants arriving in Lesvos receive the “white paper” immediately without being detained.

The authorities has shown that they are able to move. After this initial step, they now need to take the next step and close Pagani.

Pagani Campaign continues

DSCF1820For the last days, we have been putting up quite a fight to get Pagani, that outrageous detention centre for refugees, closed. Today saw the visit of the UNHCR director for Greece to that jail.

A small group of activists had gathered at the site. Again, loud shouts for freedom could be heard from inside as well a outside of Pagani. When the UNHCR director left, we pressed him for a statement.

Continue reading ‘Pagani Campaign continues’

About w2eu

This is the blog of the antiracist network Welcome to Europe. It was formerly known as lesvos09.antira.info.

 

The name Welcome to Europe expresses the discontent and anger we feel when looking at the fatal realities of the European external border: the long documented deaths and suffering have continued for years, and no end is in sight. We stand for a grassroots movement that embraces migration and wants to create a Europe of hospitality.

 

We maintain our focus on the European external border in Greece, but will not limit ourselves to that geographical area. The right of freely roaming the globe has to be fought for everywhere. Join us!

 

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Archives

Voices from the Inside of Pagani (2009)

Watch the video