UN condemns discovery of 92 naked migrants at Greece-Turkey border By Edward Era Barbacena

 

UN condemns discovery of 92 naked migrants at Greece-Turkey border

By Edward Era Barbacena

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has said it is “deeply distressed” by the discovery of almost 100 naked men at the border between Greece and Turkey.

According to BBC, the two European countries have blamed each other for the predicament of the 92 migrants as Greece laid the blame at Turkey’s door, saying its “behaviour” was a “shame for civilization.”

In reaction, Turke described its neighbour’s claims as “fake news” and accused it of “cruelty.”

As both nations blamed each other, the United Nation’s refugee agency called for an investigation and said it was “deeply distressed by the shocking reports and images.”

Greek police said they rescued the 92 men who were discovered naked, and some with injuries, close to its northern border with Turkey on Friday.

They said an investigation by them and officials from the EU border agency Frontex, found evidence that the migrants crossed the Evros river into Greek territory in rubber yachts from Turkey.

“Border policemen… discovered 92 illegal migrants without clothes, some of whom had injuries on their bodies,” the statement said.

Greek authorities said they offer immediate clothing, food and first aid to the migrants as it was not clear how and why the men had lost their clothes.

Frontex said the men were mainly from Afghanistan and Syria, and that the organisation’s fundamental rights officer had been informed of a potential rights violation.

In response, the UNHCR said it is “deeply distressed by the shocking reports and images”, but said it had not been able to speak to the group directly yet – something which it hoped would happen in the coming days.

“We condemn any cruel and degrading treatment and call for a full investigation,” the UNHCR told the BBC.