Despite a recent shocking event, in which 19 migrants were found frozen to death on the Turkey-Greece border, Athens continues its inhumane policy of pushing back migrants, thereby risking their lives.
The Turkish coast guard on Monday rescued another 95 migrants that were pushed back by Greece off Muğla province’s Bodrum and Datça districts.
The rescued migrants were sent to the provincial migration directorate after formalities.
This pushback incident comes a week after Turkey said it found 19 frozen bodies close to the Greek border, accusing Athens of allowing the migrants to die in the winter cold after stripping them of their clothes, stealing their valuable possessions and forcing them back across the border. However, Greece rejects the accusations.
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan vowed last week to expose Greece’s illegal pushbacks of migrants at every opportunity.
The incident also received harsh criticism from Turkey’s Defense and Foreign Ministries. "Greece must immediately end its inhumane practices on land borders and at sea," the Defense Ministry said on Friday.
"The images of migrants, whose clothes, shoes, everything was taken on their journey toward holding on to life and who lost their lives as a result of this inhumane treatment, has upset everyone," the ministry said on Twitter.
Turkey is a major crossing point for migrants from the Middle East, Asia and Africa seeking a better life in European Union countries.
Most try to cross into Greece – a key gateway to the European Union for people fleeing war or poverty – by either crossing the northeastern land border or cramming into boats headed for the eastern Aegean Sea islands.
Pushbacks are considered a violation of the international refugee protection agreements, which dictate that people should not be expelled or returned to a country where their life and safety might be in danger due to their race, religion, nationality, or membership in a social or political group.
