The infamous first entry principle is central to the Dublin system: Simply put, that principle provides that the EU member state in which a person first touched EU soil is responsible for assessing the asylum application of that person. EU member states thus attempt to return asylum seekers to Greece on that basis. What is more, EU member states also attempt to return persons who are recognized refugees in Greece. As a consequence, most member states deny asylum seekers access to their own protection system and try to implement a general return practice.
However, it is legally prohibited to return persons to a situation in which their human rights would be violated. And the situation for asylum seekers and refugees in Greece is devastating: Refugees are systemically deprived of their legally granted rights, often sleep on the streets, and do not even have access to basic healthcare.
In order to challenge a deportation to Greece, it must be proven in the individual case that a return would violate the human rights of the concerned persons. Therefore, a detailed documentation of the conditions for asylum seekers and refugees in Greece is crucial. Through our presence both in a deporting state, Germany, and in the state of destination, Greece, we are in the position to work from both ends: We both document the conditions in Greece and represent persons in Germany and other EU member states, thereby effectively challenging illegal intra-EU deportations.
