Greek border guards are said to have illegally deported Frontex interpreters

Enlarge image

Federal Police officer on the Frontex mission in Greece (symbolic image)

Photo: Christian Charisius / dpa

Reports of alleged illegal deportations towards Turkey are not new.

The New York Times has now reported on a remarkable case.

Greek border guards are said to have mistaken an interpreter from the EU border protection agency Frontex for an asylum seeker, beat him and illegally deported him to Turkey.

The Greek Citizens' Rights Agency announced an investigation into the case on Wednesday after receiving a related report from Frontex.

The EU Commission announced that it had also requested an investigation.

The interpreter is from Afghanistan but has lived in Italy for several years.

In the New York Times article published on Wednesday, he said that Greek border officials arrested him along with around 100 migrants in September.

He and many of the others were then beaten, had to undress and hand over money, cell phones and identification papers.

When he tried to explain that he worked for the EU agency Frontex, he was laughed at, beaten again and then taken to Turkey with the others.

The Greek civil rights agency spoke of an "allegedly illegal return of a Frontex interpreter with other foreigners to Turkey in the Evros region."

Athens has always denied allegations

According to the New York Times, EU Interior Commissioner Ylva Johansson said she heard about the case, talked to the man and then contacted the Greek authorities.

Johansson was therefore "very concerned", also because, according to reports, it was not an isolated case.

The EU Commission confirmed to the AFP news agency in Brussels that it had called for "an independent, thorough and rapid investigation" into the incident.

Human rights activists and the UN refugee agency UNHCR have long accused Greece of using illegal and violent methods against migrants.

The government in Athens has so far denied the allegations.

jok / AFP