On Thursday, July 10th, the Greek Parliament introduced a deeply alarming legislative amendment that suspends the examination of asylum applications for people arriving by sea from North African countries, for an initial period of three months.
The announcement was made by the Prime Minister, following a closed-door meeting of key ministers. The measure was presented as a “temporary and necessary reaction” to recent sea arrivals, but its legal and ethical implications are anything but temporary.
This is not the first time Greece has attempted such a move. The March 2020 suspension of asylum, widely condemned by international institutions, set a dangerous precedent. Today, that precedent is being revived, with consequences that violate both European and international law.
Under the 1951 Geneva Convention, the EU Charter, and the Greek Constitution, seeking asylum is a fundamental right. Blanket suspensions based on nationality or entry method are illegal, discriminatory, and violate the core principle of non‑refoulement.
Both national and international watchdogs have condemned the move:
UNHCR echoed these concerns, calling the right to seek asylum “fundamental” and warning that the measure violates international law and opens the door to refoulement.
Greek Ombudsman labeled the amendment “unconstitutional,” warning it strips individuals of their right to fair, individual asylum evaluation.
Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights, Michael O’Flaherty, urged MPs to reject the amendment, stating it “would legalise returning people to face a risk of torture and serious violations” in violation of multiple human rights treaties.
At Lesvos Solidarity, we work every day with people who have fled war, persecution, and extreme hardship. Many of them arrive with nothing but hope for safety.
We condemn the new amendment in the strongest terms.
We reject the normalization of policies that criminalize people for seeking protection.
We demand the immediate withdrawal of this unconstitutional measure.
The right to asylum cannot be paused. It cannot be denied. It must be protected. Always.
Suspending asylum procedures will not “solve” migration. It will only deepen suffering, fuel xenophobia, and undermine the rule of law.
This policy does not serve the interests of safety or security. It serves the politics of fear.
We believe in a society where Rights are not optional. We call on civil society, legal experts, international institutions, and every person of conscience to speak out.
This is not just a legal issue. It is a test of who we are and what we stand for.
