Episode 28: Refugee life, pushbacks and criminalisation on Lesvos

In this episode, we hear from Alice and Hamid from Borderline Lesvos about their work on the island running a welcome centre for registered refugees. They tell us how the NGO helps people adjust to life on the island, and helps them with things like bureaucracy, housing and the Greek language. We hear about Moria camp 2, and how the kids languishing inside there are struggling with their mental health. They also speak about the dwindling numbers of refugees on the island, the illegal practice of refugee pushbacks, and how the authorities may in fact be employing the mafia to do this.  And they also discuss how the state is criminalising refugees on some truly ridiculous grounds. In fact, Hamid, a refugee himself, tells us how he was imprisoned for two years for something he didn't do.  ---Show notes--- For more on Borderline Lesvos, see borderlinelesvos.org And for their sister NGO, Borderline Europe, see: borderline-europe.de/?l=en  In this episode Ben mistakes Borderline Europe with Border Violence Monitoring Network, you can find out more about BVMN in episode 8.  For The Civil Fleet's coverage of Greece, see here: bit.ly/3IpMOzm For Lesvos/Lesbos, see: bit.ly/3NU3D6r For Moria 2 refugee camp, see: bit.ly/3uzfCQk Check out episode 25 to hear from Hasan, the Syrian refugee Ben mentions in this podcast For more on the Sappho Square protest mentioned by Hamid, read this: bit.ly/3AJDLHP  Want to know more about the Samos 2 and other criminalisations of refugees in Greece? Then see episode 26, in which we hear from  N and Hasan's lawyers Alexandros Georgoulis and Dimitris Choulis For more on the woman who tried to kill herself with fire who the authorities charged with arson, read this Info Migrants story here: bit.ly/3yUmpGH and Are Your Syrious's story on the postponement of her trial here: bit.ly/3c5Nz4g  For more on Sean Binder's case, see episode 16 for our interview with him and fellow activist Madi Williamson Get in touch: @FleetCivil [email protected] civilfleet.com   Support:  ko-fi.com/civilfleet