Joint statement by 109 Civil Society Organizations
Alongside 108 other civil society organizations, we condemn the recent legislative provision suspending access to asylum for individuals arriving in Greece from North Africa and allowing their immediate deportation without registration.
The right to seek asylum and protection from refoulement are fundamental principles under international and EU law, which cannot be lawfully restricted, as already highlighted by the Greek Ombudsman, the Greek National Commission for Human Rights, the Union of Greek Administrative Judges, the Plenary of Greek Bar Associations, and the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights.
This measure sets a concerning precedent. Upholding legal safeguards and ensuring access to fair asylum procedures must remain a priority for all states committed to human rights and the rule of law.
Read the full joint statement below:
The unlawful suspension of access to asylum in Greece must be immediately withdrawn
Athens, 16 July 2025: We, the undersigned civil society organisations, condemn the unlawful and impermissible legislative provision adopted by the Hellenic Parliament on Friday 11 July 2025 (Article 79 of Law 5218/2025) which imposes a three-month suspension on the making of asylum applications for people arriving in Greece from North Africa and orders their immediate deportation without registration.
The right to seek asylum and protection from refoulement are fundamental principles that may never be restricted. Both are enshrined in international and EU law instruments that supersede any domestic legislative provision, as already highlighted by reputable institutions at Greek and international level, including the Greek Ombudsman, the Greek National Commission for Human Rights, the Union of Greek Administrative Judges, the Plenary of Greek Bar Associations, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights and UNHCR.
We 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, in line with its responsibilities under the Treaties.
The undersigned organisations
- Action for Women
- aditus foundation
- Advocates Sans Frontières France
- Alma Community Therapies
- Amnesty International
- ANTIGONI – Information and Documentation Centre for Racism, Ecology, Peace and Non-Violence
- ARSIS Social Organization for Youth Support
- Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos de España (APDHE)
- Association AMOKA / Athenian Museum of Fine Arts
- Association for Legal Studies on Immigration (ASGI)
- Association of Albanian Immigrants “Mother Teresa”
- Associazione Ricreativa e Culturale Italiana (ARCI)
- Athens Pride
- Boat Refugee Foundation
- Border Violence Monitoring Network (BVMN)
- Cairo Institute for Human Rights Studies
- Campaign on Access to Asylum
- Caritas Hellas
- Changemakers Lab
- Collective Aid
- Committee on the Administration of Justice (CAJ)
- Community of Pope John 23rd
- CPT – Aegean Migrant Solidarity
- CRIBS International
- Cyprus Council for Refugees
- Defence for Children International Greece
- Diotima Centre
- Dråpen i Havet
- Drop / Drop in the Ocean
- Dynamo International Social Street Workers Network
- ECHO100PLUS
- Emantes – International LGBTQIA+ Solidarity
- EmpowerVan
- Equal Legal Aid (ELA)
- Equal Rights Beyond Borders
- Equinox Initiative for Racial Justice
- EUROCEF
- EuroMed Rights
- European Council on Refugees and Exiles (ECRE)
- European Lawyers in Lesvos (ELIL)
- European Observatory for Non-Discrimination and Fundamental Rights (EONDFR)
- Fenix Humanitarian Legal Aid
- Fondation pour la Promotion des Droits en Algérie
- Greek Council for Refugees (GCR)
- Greek Forum of Migrants
- Greek Observatory of the Helsinki Accords (EOSA)
- Greek Refugee Forum
- Hellenic League for Human Rights (ELEDA)
- HIAS Greece
- Human Rights Association (IHD)
- Human Rights Legal Project
- Human Rights Watch (HRW)
- I Have Rights
- Inter Alia
- InterEuropean Human Aid Association
- International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH)
- International League for Human Rights
- International Rescue Committee (IRC) Hellas
- INTERSOS HELLAS
- Iridia Association – Centre for the Defence of Humans Rights
- Iris Women’s Centre
- Ithaca Laundry
- Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Europe
- Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Greece
- Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Malta
- Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Portugal
- Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Serbia
- Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) Switzerland
- Jesuit Refugee Service (JRS) UK
- KISA Action for Equality, Support, Antiracism
- Legal Centre Lesvos
- Licra Bas-Rhin
- Lighthouse
- Lighthouse Relief
- Ligue des droits de l’Homme (LDH)
- Médecins du Monde International
- Médecins Sans Frontières – Greek Section
- Migrant Voice
- Mobile Info Team
- Mouvement International d’Apostolat des Milieux Sociaux Indépendants (MIAMSI)
- Network for the Right to Roof and Housing
- Network for the Rights of the Child
- Network of Young People of Immigrant Origin “ORIZONTES”
- Northern Lights Aid
- Office international de l’enseignement catholique (OIEC)
- PAX Romana (ICMICA- MIIC)
- Platform for International Cooperation on Undocumented Migrants (PICUM)
- PRAKSIS
- PRO ASYL
- Project Armonia
- Refcheck point (Positive Voice)
- Refugee Support in the Aegean (RSA)
- Refugees International
- Refugees Welcome, Denmark
- RENATE Network (Religious in Europe Networking against Trafficking and Exploitation)
- Safe Passage International Greece
- Safe Place Greece
- Samos Volunteers
- SAO Association Hellas
- Save the Children
- Sea of Solidarity
- Second Tree
- Servicio Jesuita a Migrantes España
- Solidarity of Lesvos
- Symbiosis – Council of Europe School of Political Studies
- Terre des hommes Hellas
- The HOME Project
- Velos Youth Centre
- Vouliwatch