Inadequate Living Conditions for Refugees in Serres

On 14 November 2025, the Greek Council for Refugees (GCR) submitted a request to the Greek Ombudsman to conduct an on-site inspection of the Closed Facility of Sintiki in Serres, following complaints by asylum seekers concerning inadequate living conditions, insufficient food and medical care, as well as the application of police measures exceeding what was necessary and proportionate. The information raises concerns regarding violations by the Greek authorities of EU and international law relating to the rights of refugees.

• With regard to accommodation, sleeping arrangements and cleanliness, according to the reports, each container accommodates up to 14 people, at least eight of whom sleep in beds while the remaining six sleep on the floor without mattresses. Beds are reportedly allocated according to an informal hierarchy based on factors such as length of stay or physical strength. During rainfall, water enters the containers. There is a widespread presence of insects, including bedbugs and lice, while waste bins remain constantly overflowing, resulting in unsanitary conditions and strong unpleasant odours.

• With regard to the conduct of the state authorities, incidents were reported involving the use of disciplinary police measures that allegedly exceeded what was necessary and proportionate, as well as cases of psychological pressure and intimidation.

“The number of detainees at this facility has exceeded its official capacity since the period when asylum procedures were suspended, and appalling detention conditions have been reported, along with ‘serious shortcomings and deficiencies in basic security infrastructure’,” the GCR stated, adding: “As has already been repeatedly pointed out, pre-removal detention centres (PRDCs) ‘do not provide an appropriate environment for the detention of foreign nationals for prolonged periods’ and ‘the facilities [are] not suitably adapted for the detention of foreign nationals’, see CPT/Inf (2024) 21 – Part, https://rm.coe.int/1680b0e4e3.”

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The GCR concluded: “We also recall that, under the legislation in force and EU law, the detention of third-country nationals, including asylum seekers, for administrative purposes is a measure that may be applied only exceptionally and provided that no other measures can be effectively applied. The indiscriminate and mass detention of all newly arrived third-country nationals, without any individual assessment and, moreover, in wholly inadequate conditions, is not compatible with Greek legislation or EU law.”

The above information raises serious concerns regarding the Greek authorities’ failure to comply with the country’s international obligations concerning the reception, care and dignified living conditions of refugees.

More specifically, the 1951 Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees (Geneva Convention), in recognising the right to asylum, guarantees a range of rights to refugees in their country of residence, including the right to movable and immovable property (Article 13), the right of association (Article 15), the right of access to the courts (Article 16), the right to work (Articles 17-19), the right to welfare (Article 20), housing (Article 21) and public education (Article 22), as well as freedom of movement (Article 26). The Geneva Convention also prohibits the expulsion or refoulement of refugees (Article 33).