The unbalanced scales of refugee justice

The unbalanced scales of refugee justice

Following the March 2016 agreement between the EU and Turkey to control the influx of migrants entering Europe, thousands of refugees are now confined to Lesvos and other Greek islands.

Many are struggling to access legal advice and information on asylum procedures within an often confusing and inefficient system. Without lawyers to support them in filing asylum applications or appealing if their applications are rejected, many are interned in pre-removal detention camps where they face poor living conditions, or potential deportation back to an unsafe home environment.

In this exclusive report from Lesvos, IBA Global Insight speaks to Achilleas Tzemos, Lesvos field coordinator with Médecins Sans Frontières; Ariel Ricker, Executive Director of legal NGO, Advocates Abroad; and Anahi Ayala, Humanitarian Director at information NGO, Internews.