Seeking Asylum Is a Right That Cannot Be Suspended: Positive Suspension Decisions from the Administrative Court of First Instance of Piraeus against the unlawful removal of Sudanese and Yemeni nationals

After an increased number of arrivals from Libya to Crete, Greece had ‘suspended’ the right to asylum and refused to register asylum applications. Instead, they were detained and faced deportation. Unlawful – as the Administrative Court of First Instance of Piraeus now made clear. In decisions issued on 24 October and 6 November, emphasized that the applicants had expressed their wish to seek asylum upon arrival in Greece and, therefore, should not be removed from the country.

Court Ends Unlawful Detention of Syrian Woman in Kos Pre-Removal Detention Centre

The Rhodes Administrative Court of First Instance has ordered the immediate release of a Syrian woman unlawfully detained in the Kos Pre-Removal Detention Centre (PRDC), following legal action by Equal Rights Beyond Borders. The Court ruled that her detention lacked legal justification, marking a significant step toward protecting the rights of asylum seekers detained on Kos.

Equal Rights Beyond Borders als Leuchtturmprojekt von Union Invest ausgezeichnet

Der Berliner Verein „Equal Rights Beyond Borders“ ist als Leuchtturmprojekt mit dem „Wir für morgen“-Preis ausgezeichnet worden und erhält 35.000 Euro Fördergeld.

Unlawful Detention of Unaccompanied Minors in the “Safe Area” of the Kos CCAC

Five More Judgments by the Administrative Court of Rhodes

In five separate rulings issued, the Administrative Court of First Instance of Rhodes found that the continued restriction of liberty for unaccompanied minors within the so-called “Safe Area” of the Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC) of Kos amounted to unlawful de facto detention.

Webinar: Inhaftierung von Kindern an Europas Grenzen – Rechtliche, politische und menschliche Perspektiven

Joint Press Release: The European Commission seized of the suspension of the right to asylum in Greece

The Administrative Court of First Instance of Piraeus also puts a stop to unlawful returns of asylum seekers

On 4 and 5 September 2025, the Administrative Court of First Instance of Piraeus issued temporary orders prohibiting the removal from Greece of three refugees who were not allowed to apply for asylum following the unlawful suspension of the right to access asylum.

The unlawful suspension of access to asylum in Greece must be immediately withdrawn

Several organisations call on the Greek government to immediately withdraw this unlawful legislative provision and on the European Commission to take urgent measures to enforce EU law and to immediately put an end to its infringement.

Court Orders Release of Asylum Seeker from Unlawful Detention in Kos Pre-Removal Detention Centre

The Rhodes Administrative Court of First Instance accepted objections submitted by Equal Rights Beyond Borders on behalf of an asylum seeker and ordered his immediate release. In doing so, it recognised that his detention in the Kos Pre-Removal Detention Centre (PRDC) on public order grounds was not legally justified under Greek, EU, or international law.

Challenging the systematic criminalization of asylum seekers on human smuggling charges: a young Syrian asylum seeker was cleared of smuggling charges before Rhodes Court, but now faces prison for facilitating illegal entry of migrants.

On July 7th, Equal Rights Beyond Borders appeared before the Court of Rhodes, representing a young asylum -seeker from Syria who was accused of being a human smuggler and faced a heavy incarceration sentence. Despite the harsh anti-immigration political climate prevailing in Greece, we persuaded the Court to clear the asylum seeker of the smuggling charges, but he is now facing imprisonment for the facilitation of illegal entry, waiting for his appeal hearing.