16 days.
as long As the sat Danish-iraqi Salam Aldeen in december behind the lock, and turn in a Greek prison. Then he was released and deported from the country, where he for several years has worked to help the refugees on Lesbos.
the Deportation because his name has been put on a list of national security threats.
– the Greek government will not disclose the reason why I have come on the list and has been thrown out of the country for two years, says Salam Aldeen to Ekstra Bladet.
Salam Aldeen feel that he has lost it, he has struggled to build in Greece.
– Everything has been taken from me, ” he says.
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Salam Aldeens work centers especially on helping women and children. Private
‘People being scared’
human rights organisation Amnesty International believes that the Salam Aldeens case is an expression of the fact that the Greek government has taken a new flygtningestrategi in use.
According to the organization’s analysis of the situation in Greece wants the new government not to be engaged in emergency aid to the refugees, because it is in the government’s eyes send a signal to you as a refugee to seek against the EU – which will increase the influx of refugees.
– This case is yet another example of the fact that the Greek government strikes really hard down on ngos and individuals who are trying to help refugees and migrants on the Greek islands, says Annette Stubkjær hold dear, political advisor at Amnesty International, to Ekstra Bladet.
– They have created an incredibly unsafe and dangerous environment, where people are afraid to exercise relief.
some years ago, there was created so-called ‘hot spots’ around on the Greek islands. The purpose of them is that refugees must indsluses, whereby one can more quickly find out who has a claim to asylum or not. Those who have a claim to asylum, so must have a fair and speedy asylbehandling.
Because the flow of refugees has been so great, and because there have not been enough resources assigned to these hot spots, is the situation today instead been that people are waiting up to over a year to get asylbehandling.
According to Amnesty International, waiting around 40,000 people right now in the asylbehandling on the Greek islands. The refugee camps are overpopulated, and the people live under miserable conditions.
A trend, Moria camp on Lesbos is a frightening example of this.
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New approach
In the summer of 2019 got Greece a new government, which has introduced a second and more stringent strategy for emergency aid to refugees. For example, do individuals no longer exercise relief without being affiliated with an organization.
another consequence of the strategy is that the state now has begun to arrest and deport workers without giving reasons, which makes that people are afraid to help the refugees.
Other workers than Salam has experienced to become arrested in this way, by an irish man and a syrian woman.
Source: Annette Stubkjær hold dear, political advisor at Amnesty International Denmark
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Moria-the camp
In 2015 founded Salam Aldeen nødhjælpsorganisationen Team Humanity. The Ngo holds to near Moria-the camp on the Greek island of Lesbos, where it has built a center for the camp’s women and children.
Moria is Europe’s largest refugee camp. Even though there is only space for 3000, live more than 17,000 people close together in the camp in miserable and unsafe conditions.
Team Humanity to assist in the camp, among other things by sharing food and blankets out and hold activities. For example, the celebrated organization in december christmas with the camp’s residents.
One evening, where Salam had been looking forward to having to be dressed as santa claus, but instead had to sit behind bars.
– It was incredibly sad, tells Salam Aldeen, however, welcomes the fact that the residents got their julefejring despite the fact that he was in prison.
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Ekstra Bladet met Salam Aldeen in Moria-the camp, shortly before he was arrested. Here he held and the organization birthday for three-year-old Mohamad, who is a refugee. Photo: Rasmus Flindt Pedersen
Accused of human trafficking
It is not the first time, Salam Aldeen is pinned because of its work with the emergency in Greece.
In 2016, he and a dane were arrested and charged with human trafficking, because they tried to rescue some of the refugees whose boat was sinking in the sea without for Lesbos’ shore, from drowning. As a result of the charges, he was detained in Greece.
See also: Danish volunteers charged with the smuggling of migrants on Lesbos
After a year and eight months was Salam Aldeen acquitted. At the time he swore that he would continue his work.
– I have seen people who are thirsty, starving and suffering. I’ve buried the dead children and their parents and seen a woman burn to death right in front of me, because the fire department did not reach the camp in time.
– When you have experienced the things I have, you can’t just take home. I should do it here the rest of his life, finds Salam Aldeen.
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How to see Moria-the camp, where the Salam Aldeen usually to work as an aid worker, out by nightfall. Photo: Rasmus Flindt Pedersen
Fight on
But with the deportation, it is impossible for Salam Aldeen to travel back to Lesbos, and the organization he has founded, without risking to end up in prison again.
And it is deeply objectionable, believe, political advisor at Amnesty International, Annette Stubkjær hold dear.
– Salam shall not have prohibition to stay in Greece, without the government inform why. He is a piece of their new strategy, and he should be allowed to freely travel back to the country and continue his work, she says.
Home from Denmark are struggling Salam Aldeen to get the ban lifted.
– I never give up. Never, he says.
We have tried to get a comment from the Greek authorities concerning Salam Aldeens case, but they are not returned at our request.
Ekstra Bladet visited Moria, the camp in december, shortly before the Salam Aldeen was arrested. You can read about the visit in the camp, where hunger, thirst and diseases are rampant here.
