Greece Told to Stop Illegal Migrant Pushbacks, Government Denies Accusations

May 7, 2025 | Athens, Greece

The Council of Europe has asked Greece to improve its border controls and stop sending migrants back without following legal procedures. These returns, often called “pushbacks,” are believed to happen both on land and at sea.

Michael O’Flaherty, the Council of Europe’s commissioner for human rights, made the recommendations after visiting Greece in February. He said he was worried by reports that migrants were being sent back without being properly identified, which could lead to them facing danger in their home countries.

The Council of Europe said that while the number of these reports has dropped recently, the issue is still serious. It warned that not checking each migrant’s situation is a violation of their rights.

Greek authorities deny the pushback claims. In a written response, the Greek Police said their officers only stop illegal border crossings while the migrants are still in Turkey, not on Greek soil.

In January, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Greece had broken human rights laws by forcing migrants out without legal procedures.

In response, Greece is now tightening its migration policies. Migration Minister Makis Voridis said the government plans to increase the time rejected asylum seekers can be detained, from 18 months to 24 months. He said this would encourage migrants whose applications are denied to leave voluntarily.

On Tuesday, the Greek Coast Guard rescued 158 migrants from three small boats near the island of Crete. They were helped by nearby ships and Frontex, the European Union’s border agency.

The Council of Europe, based in Strasbourg, France, works to protect human rights and has 46 member countries.

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