Exclusive: Fears of ‘another Frontex’ as anti-fraud watchdog investigates EU asylum agency
The EU’s asylum agency is being investigated by the bloc’s anti-fraud watchdog, Solomon has learnt, following claims of serious mismanagement and neglect of human rights obligations.
Italy: a call in support of Roberto Saviano, defendant in a defamation trial
At the conclusion of the first hearing in the proceedings for aggravated defamation initiated by current Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni against Roberto Saviano in 2021, we express our solidarity with the Italian journalist for his commitment to the public interest.
Exclusive: UN Letter Documents Greek Pushback of Turkish Asylum Seekers
In March, eight Turks reached Greece by boat, fearing persecution in their homeland. The UN urged Greece to provide protection, but instead the men were pushed back to sea and into the arms of the Turkish police.
No closer to heaven — transgender asylum-seekers in Greece
For many transgender asylum-seekers, their arrival in Greece only drags them deeper into misery.
Facing 10 years in prison for an act of desperation
A year and a half ago, a young pregnant woman from Afghanistan, living at the Mavrovouni camp on Lesvos, attempted suicide by setting fire to her tent. On June 22, 2022, she stands trial, accused of arson with intent.
European Court decision finds 2016 collective pushbacks “lawful”
On April 5, the European Court of Human Rights handed down a negative judgement on claims regarding the alleged pushback of approximately 1,500 asylum seekers into Greece via North Macedonia in 2016. ECHR acknowledged their violent persecution, but believed the applicants could have applied for asylum by other legal means ― although there weren’t any.
They once experienced war in their home country. Bosnians are now helping those who get stuck along the Balkan route.
Azra has made her home a reference point for those in need, and Asim has devoted himself to supporting migrant people. In a country still dealing with its own scars, many Bosnian people are showing solidarity to those escaping today’s wars and hardship.
Exclusive: UN Letter Documents Greek Pushback of Turkish Asylum Seekers
In March, eight Turks reached Greece by boat, fearing persecution in their homeland. The UN urged Greece to provide protection, but instead the men were pushed back to sea and into the arms of the Turkish police.
Dark Waters of the Aegean: 1,018 illegal pushbacks carried out by the Greek state
It has become a common practice for Greek authorities to abandon asylum seekers at sea, which has resulted in injuries and drownings. An interactive map reveals the recurring crime committed across the Aegean Sea. The Greek government must explain how abducting people in need and abandoning them in life rafts is linked to international law and European values.
No closer to heaven — transgender asylum-seekers in Greece
For many transgender asylum-seekers, their arrival in Greece only drags them deeper into misery.
Mahmood in waiting
In 2016 Mahmood left Jalalabad, his hometown in Afghanistan, and embarked on a dangerous journey to Europe. After six months he made it to Greece. We meet him in a flat in the suburbs of Athens, which he shares with up to twelve other compatriots; struggling with the Greek asylum services; making a living on the streets; and strolling through the center of Athens. This is his story.
Exclusive: Fears of ‘another Frontex’ as anti-fraud watchdog investigates EU asylum agency
The EU’s asylum agency is being investigated by the bloc’s anti-fraud watchdog, Solomon has learnt, following claims of serious mismanagement and neglect of human rights obligations.
Passport Privilege: Turkish Fraudster’s Route to Honorary Greek Citizenship
Solomon and BIRN look at how a Turkish businessman – convicted of fraud in Turkey in 2017 and arrested with a fake Greek passport in 2019 – bought his way to honorary Greek citizenship.
Asylum Surveillance Systems Launched in Greece without Data Safeguards
With money from the EU’s pandemic-recovery fund, systems to monitor the movements of asylum seekers in Greece were designed and launched without basic data safeguards required under EU law.
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Greece’s vaccination policy for the undocumented: Confused
An interview with data journalist Eva Constantaras on Lighthouse Reports’ recent cross-border investigation on Europe’s policies to vaccinate its undocumented population
“When the pandemic ends, we must talk about the mental health of the workers during this period”
Loretta Macauley, activist and founder of the United African Women Organization in Athens, in an interview with Solomon on the effects of the pandemic on migrant women employed in Greece.
N. Paleologos: “We owe it to their painful experiences, to tell their stories as honestly as possible”
Two photojournalists, Chrysoula Patsou and Nikos Palaiologos, discuss their projects during the refugee crisis, talk about the photojournalist’s mission as a “chronicler of History”, and comment on the challenges that the freedom of press faces in Greece.
The logbook of Moria
A logbook was found in the ashes of Europe’s most notorious refugee camp. Written by the workers that were there to protect the unaccompanied minors, but often felt incapable of doing so, its pages reveal the horrific reality that they endured. The logbook of Moria’s safe zone is an indisputable document of Europe’s failure to protect the most vulnerable group of asylum seekers that sought safety within its borders.
Snapshots from the days after the fire that burned Moria refugee camp
On September 9, massive fires destroyed Greece’s largest refugee camp leaving thousands of asylum seekers without shelter.
Labeled “immigrants”, two-thirds of Moria’s population actually have a refugee profile
The Greek government and major media outlets are presenting the victims of the fire at Moria camp as “immigrants”. However, according to our analysis, the majority will most likely be granted international protection.
“We are better off here, that place is like a prison”
The Greek government has been trying to relocate victims of the Moria fire to a new temporary shelter. Asylum seekers are reluctant to go there.
“The time-bomb exploded” at Greece’s largest refugee camp
Massive fires burned through Moria – repeated warnings had been made, and ignored, for years.
The logbook of Moria
A logbook was found in the ashes of Europe’s most notorious refugee camp. Written by the workers that were there to protect the unaccompanied minors, but often felt incapable of doing so, its pages reveal the horrific reality that they endured. The logbook of Moria’s safe zone is an indisputable document of Europe’s failure to protect the most vulnerable group of asylum seekers that sought safety within its borders.
Snapshots from the days after the fire that burned Moria refugee camp
On September 9, massive fires destroyed Greece’s largest refugee camp leaving thousands of asylum seekers without shelter.
Labeled “immigrants”, two-thirds of Moria’s population actually have a refugee profile
The Greek government and major media outlets are presenting the victims of the fire at Moria camp as “immigrants”. However, according to our analysis, the majority will most likely be granted international protection.
“We are better off here, that place is like a prison”
The Greek government has been trying to relocate victims of the Moria fire to a new temporary shelter. Asylum seekers are reluctant to go there.
“The time-bomb exploded” at Greece’s largest refugee camp
Massive fires burned through Moria – repeated warnings had been made, and ignored, for years.
Name: Unknown – Cause of death: Drowning
“I can’t, I’ve had a difficult time processing all this.” Since 2012, the registrar of Lesvos has been mainly registering the bodies of unidentified refugees.
How the Aegean islands became a warehouse of souls
It was four years ago, March 2016, when the EU-Turkey Joint Declaration to curb refugee flows was signed.
The perilous border crossing “game” in Bosnia
Migrant people stranded at the Bosnian border wait for the right moment to try their hand at the “game”. Normally they must try multiple times due to violent pushbacks by border forces.
“What does Europe want to achieve? That we will all commit suicide one day?”
A new refugee camp on Samos is almost ready. Nobody knows if it will be an open or a closed facility. One thing is for sure, though: the prospect of confinement in the middle of nowhere leads to the deterioration of asylum seekers’ mental health.
N. Paleologos: “We owe it to their painful experiences, to tell their stories as honestly as possible”
Two photojournalists, Chrysoula Patsou and Nikos Palaiologos, discuss their projects during the refugee crisis, talk about the photojournalist’s mission as a “chronicler of History”, and comment on the challenges that the freedom of press faces in Greece.
Police Violence: Concerning Treatment of Migrants and Reporters during Covid-19
A cross-border collaboration on the escalating trend of police violence against people on the move and media professionals.
Report “Modern Slavery: from production to consumption”
Generation 2.0 for Rights, Equality & Diversity in the context of the project design and implementation, collaborated with Andreas Hatzidakis Professor of Marketing at Royal Holloway University of London, who is the scientific supervisor at the research and the researcher Iordanis Paraskevas, who undertook the implementation of the research and the writing of the report.
The night when “hell” burned down
Two months after the fire that destroyed Moria camp, the overcrowded refugee facility on the island of Lesvos, an asylum seeker who lived there, remembers the events of that night and what happened in the days that followed.
Domestic Workers in Greece
Migrants employed in the domestic work sector are essential workers in the COVID-19 response, due to the important roles they play in the care of children, sick, and dependent people.
Unaccompanied minors: Dis-continuum of protection
We discuss the realities of unaccompanied children on the move and attempt to address the varying experiences of children migrating – both positive and negative.
Grief and mourning among refugees
Mourning is an inevitable experience that occurs following the loss of loved ones. Going through the bereavement process in a host society, refugees are faced with different challenges, very often without even being able to practice their funeral rites and rituals. Nikos Gkionakis, experienced psychologist and Head of Babel Day Center, offering mental health services to refugees in Athens, is our guest for this session.
/ Publications
© Constantinos Stathias
/ Last in Line
A Publication about young male migrants and refugees
More than 75,000 asylum seekers arrived in Greece in 2019 alone, either by crossing the northern border with Turkey via the Evros River or by crossing the Aegean from Turkey on boats, hoping to land on one of the Greek islands.
About 40% of the asylum seekers are men.
© Iasonas Athanasiadis
/ Migrant workers
A Publication about migrant workers during COVID-19
Despite often being undocumented, without legal papers and off the radar, migrant workers are essential workers. Often lacking documentation, access to information and networks, migrant workers are uninsured, underpaid, and exposed to human rights abuses and labor law violations.
But, in big part, their realities in Greece still remain underreported.
WHY
WE
NEED
YOU
The media in Greece have lost their credibility and they are solely responsible for this. However, time has run out, and so have excuses. Media and journalism should communicate with other disciplines in search of common ways to include their communities.
We should make an effort to be more receptive and above all to include the very people we are (supposedly) writing about. Each side needs the other. And it shouldn’t be so difficult anymore, for us to question our ”expertise”. This can make things a lot more exciting.
At Solomon we are not interested in trying to be the ”experts” nor do we want to be vaguely ”objective”. We are interested in seeking and presenting the facts, and being able to share them, completely and transparently, with the people who care about realities. And, of course, doing so without serving any special interests or outside influences.
But we do not want our independence to be the reason why we are forced to work in a state of insecurity and exhaust all of our resources to be able to literally remain upright. On the contrary, we want our independence to be the reason why people view us as a trustworthy news source, and will support us in maintaining our dedication.
Iliana Papangeli, Managing Director