Greek asylum decision exposes the major flaw in EU-Turkey refugee deal

In May 2016 the Greek authority that handled appeals by asylum seekers overturned a decision to reject the application of a Syrian refugee who arrived in Greece from Turkey.

The original decision had turned on the fact that Turkey was a country where the applicant would have access to refugee protection in line with the standards of international law. The appeal authority took the opposite view.

Author argued that this raised questions about the March 2016 EU-Turkey agreement which allowed the return of migrants arriving on the Greek islands to Turkey – and it could have implications for the management of the refugee crisis across the EU.

Amnesty International in a briefing published on the 2 June 2016 called 'No safe refuge: Asylum-seekers and refugees denied effective protection in Turkey', it was said 'The European Union (EU) must immediately halt plans to return asylum-seekers to Turkey on the false pretence that it is a 'safe country' for refugees.

• Primary Source

ESO: Background information: Crunch Time in the EU-Turkey Relationship http://www.europeansources.info/record/crunch-time-in-the-eu-turkey-relationship/

ESO: Information Guide: European Migration Challenges http://www.europeansources.info/record/information-guide-european-migration-challenges/

UNHCR: About us: History of UNHCR: The 1951 Refugee Convention / Geneva Convention http://www.unhcr.org/1951-refugee-convention.html

Kathimerini, 20.05.16: Greek appeals committee halts deportation of Syrian, ruling Turkey 'unsafe' http://www.ekathimerini.com/208850/article/ekathimerini/news/greek-appeals-committee-halts-deportation-of-syrian-ruling-turkey-unsafe

ESO: Background information: Greece begins refugee deportations under EU plan http://www.europeansources.info/record/greece-begins-refugee-deportations-under-eu-plan/

The Guardian, 20.05.16: Syrian refugee wins appeal against forced return to Turkey http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/20/syrian-refugee-wins-appeal-against-forced-return-to-turkey

EUObserver, 03.06.16: Greek court halts Syrian deportations to 'unsafe' Turkey https://euobserver.com/migration/133691

Pro Asyl: Press Release, 01.06.16: Appeals Committee on Lesbos stops deportations to Turkey https://www.proasyl.de/en/pressrelease/appeals-committee-on-lesbos-stops-deportations-to-turkey/

Kathimerini, 03.06.16: Greece to send gay Syrian back to Turkey under migrant deal http://www.ekathimerini.com/209287/article/ekathimerini/news/greece-to-send-gay-syrian-back-to-turkey-under-migrant-deal

Amnesty International: Press Release, 02.06.16: No safe refuge: Asylum-seekers and refugees denied effective protection in Turkey http://www.amnestyusa.org/research/reports/no-safe-refuge-asylum-seekers-and-refugees-denied-effective-protection-in-turkey

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