A/HRC/16/52/Add.4
days. Several detainees were kept in detention pending deportation to their home countries
although they were detained at the Airport when they had attempted to fly back home.
Wing for ‘on-the-spot’ asylum seekers
The second wing of the facility was for political asylum seekers, including Dublin II
returnees. According to UNHCR it is for ‘on the spot’ asylum seekers. Nine persons were
detained in semi-open cells composed of three bedrooms with four two six bunk beds, a
small corridor and showers and toilets. They could always move within this area but had no
access to outdoor exercise. All detainees were provided with their own bed. The detainees
were held in that area between 5 and 18 days, the conditions were adequate although the
detainees stated that it has just been cleaned and would often be much dirtier. They also
complained that they would not receive sufficient soap and razors. Besides they did not
complain about their treatment or the conditions of detention. Three came from Pakistan,
two from Syria and one each from Morocco, Egypt, India and Bangladesh.
Wing for women and children
The third section of the airport detention facility was more spacious, had beds, good toilets
and bathrooms with liquid soap. However, the detainees lacked toys, medicine and diapers
for children.
Individual cases
Cell 13
Albert Cakolli, aged 35, from Kosovo, had been detained in the facility for 30 days. He
was detained at the airport for possessing false documents. He was threatened by police and
the guards were very rude. There were eleven people in the cell, sometimes there have been
fifteen people. They were allowed out of the cell for the toilet but only for two minutes.
They had to bang on the cell door very loud and for a long time before the guards opened
the door. They used a plastic bottle in the cell to urinate during the night. He has had only
one shower. There was no soap to wash his clothes and he was not provided with a change
of clothes. There were only five mattresses. He has been seen by a doctor a number of
times, the medication he has been given did not work.
Olsian Preci, aged 24, from Albania, had been detained in the facility for six days for
possessing false documents. The guards yelled and were very rude. He was able to make a
telephone call but only for one minute with a guard standing right next to him.
Alabied Fawazim, aged 31, from Syria, had been detained in the facility for 33 days. He
was detained coming back from Syria on a Syrian passport with a Greek residency
document. He has been in Greece for five years. The police did not explain why he was
detained. He phoned a lawyer who did visit the facility. There was a terrible smell in the
cell. They urinated in a plastic bottle which was hung on the window and was only emptied
every 24 hours.
A male detainee, aged 36, from Somalia, had been detained in the facility for four days. He
was detained at the airport while trying to board a plan to leave Greece. He was taken to the
basement of the airport and was beaten by one police officer while four others watched. He
was punched in the mouth and ears. He was brought before the court. He had no interpreter
and was then brought back to the facility. He had not been able to shower.
Cell 14
Group interview of 10 detainees from India (2), Georgia (1), Pakistan (5), Albania (2).
Those longest detained were from India (37 days), Pakistan (27 days) and Georgia (15
47
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