Joint Statement by the Greek Forum of Refugees and RISE Network:
The Greek Forum of Refugees (GFR) and the RISE Network1 (Refugees Ideas and Solutions for Europe) express their outrage, profound concern, and deep sorrow over yet another brutal crime against refugees in the Aegean Sea. On December 20, 2024, near Rhodes Island, the Hellenic Coast Guard deliberately rammed a boat carrying 27 refugees, including women and children, leaving eight dead, three of whom were decapitated or lost part of their bodies due to the severity of the collision. In addition, a four-year-old girl is missing. This was neither an accident nor an incident – it was a brutal crime.
This is not an isolated case. For years, Greece and EU institutions have turned a blind eye to systematic pushbacks, brutal violence, illegal detentions, and deliberate failures to conduct life-saving search and rescue operations. From the Pylos shipwreck in June 2023, which left over 600 dead, to numerous other preventable tragic and fatal incidents. drownings, European border policies, particularly on the Greek-Turkish border, have become a mechanism of death. The scathing report by the Greek Ombudsman on the Pylos shipwreck, highlighting clear evidence of serious criminal liability among senior Coast Guard officers—further demonstrates the deep-rooted impunity within Greek authorities. Additionally, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruling in A.R.E vs Greece (January 16, 2024) condemned Greece for violating the right to life when the Hellenic Coast Guard opened fire on a refugee boat near Pserimos Island in 2014, killing a passenger and injuring others. The court found that Greek authorities lacked clear regulations on lethal force in maritime operations, failed to conduct a proper investigation, and dismissed critical evidence, reinforcing a culture of impunity. These systemic failures must be urgently addressed to prevent further tragedies.
In a broken system that prioritizes deterrence over humanity, traffickers emerge as the main perpetrators, exploiting desperation, endangering lives, and profiting from human suffering. Yet rather than focusing accountability on these criminal networks, Greek and European Union authorities systematically target their victims: refugees and asylum seekers fleeing war, persecution, and unimaginable tragedies.
These people, already suffering unimaginable trauma, face further injustice as they are confronted with punitive border policies and inhumane practices that exacerbate their vulnerability. Too often, they pay the highest price with their lives, while systemic failures allow violence and exploitation to thrive along Europe’s borders.
We refuse to stay silent while refugees are being murdered at Europe’s borders.
The Rhodes Tragedy: A Crime Against Humanity
Two survivors, ‘D’—searching for his missing four-year-old daughter—and ‘M,’ who lost his wife to decapitation, describe the horror:
“Our boat left Bodrum, Turkey, at 7:20 a.m. on December 20. It was a sunny day. At around 9:30 or 10 a.m., when we were close to Rhodes, two Coast Guard boats appeared behind us. One approached rapidly from the left side of our boat and rammed us without warning. Everything happened in seconds. The Coast Guard boat literally climbed on top of us, crushing those sitting in the front. When I regained consciousness, I saw bodies floating. A woman had no head. The other Coast Guard boat just watched us from a distance.”
This testimony sheds light on the brutal circumstances of the tragedy. The survivors complain that the incident was not the result of an accident or mishap but of a deliberate crime.
This crime violates:
Instead of protecting lives, the Greek and EU authorities have repeatedly made decisions that cost lives.
Our Demands: End Impunity, Ensure Justice
We demand urgent action from the Greek and EU authorities:
A Call to Action: European Civil Society Must Not Stay Silent
We call on civil society organizations, legal bodies, and European citizens to:
This is not just about Greece—this is about Europe. If we remain silent, we are complicit.
The European Union was built on democracy, human rights, and dignity. If we allow these murders to continue, we are betraying those very principles.
Enough is Enough. Stop the Killings. Act Now.
You can still add your organization’s signature, contacting info@refugees.gr. Share this statement widely and demand justice for the victims of Rhodes – and all refugees who are denied humane treatment.
The Greek Forum of Refugees
RISE Network (Refugees Ideas and Solution for Europe)
Signed by:
Greek Forum of Refugees – Ελληνικό Φόρουμ Προσφύγων
Greek Forum of Migrants – Ελληνικό Φόρουμ Μεταναστών
Hellenic League for Human Rights – Ελληνική Ένωση για τα Δικαιώματα του Ανθρώπου
Greek Council for Refugees – Ελληνικό Συμβούλιο για τους Πρόσφυγες
Union of Ukrainian Diaspora in Greece – Ένωση Ουκρανικής Διασποράς στην Ελλάδα
Greek Helsinki Monitor – Ελληνικό Παρατηρητήριο των Συμφωνιών του Ελσίνκι
Association on Refugees and Migrants in Bulgaria
Asociacion Cultural Baizara / Spain
Thalassa of Solidarity – Θάλασσα Αλληλεγγύης
Municipal movement “Open City” – Δημοτική κίνηση “Ανοιχτή Πόλη”
Mazi Housing (Community-based housing. Person-centred support)
Southeast Asia Cultural Association (ASIANA)
