Coast guard units saved 52 irregular migrants who were pushed back by Greece in violation of international law off southern Türkiye, the Interior Ministry said Saturday.

Local coast guard squads rushed to help 15 irregular migrants on rubber boats off the Aegean coast of Muğla’s Bodrum district and saved them, the ministry said.

It also said one of the rescued, who was identified as a Turkish citizen, was electroshocked by Greek security forces when he and 14 others were caught on the island of Istanköy (Kos) on Thursday.

Other migrants also told Turkish authorities that they were also subjected to mistreatment and stripped of their valuable items by the Greek security forces, according to the ministry.

In a separate incident, 37 migrants, all foreign nationals who were pushed back by Greece, were rescued off the coast of the Didim district in the western province of Aydın.

Türkiye has been a key transit point for irregular migrants aiming to cross into Europe to start new lives, especially those fleeing war and persecution.

Human rights groups and media outlets have frequently reported on illegal pushbacks and other human rights breaches by Greek authorities.

Ankara and global rights groups have repeatedly condemned Greece’s illegal practice of pushing back irregular migrants, saying it violates humanitarian values and international law by endangering the lives of vulnerable migrants, including women and children.