Greece moves hundreds of migrants to mainland
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Greece's three-month asylum ban for migrants from Libya and other North African countries has been condemned by the UN and rights groups.
Greece introduced today, July 11th, a controversial emergency law, suspending the registration of asylum applications for three months for people arriving by sea from North Africa.
Greece on Thursday unveiled a series of tougher measures aimed at curbing the arrival of migrants, following an earlier announcement by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.
Hotspots,' originally conceived as migrant registration sites, have gradually turned into closed detention centers, such as on the island of Samos, where asylum seekers now live in isolation.
The coast guard noted 7,300 asylum-seekers have reached Crete and a nearby island this year, up from fewer than 5,000 in 2024. More than 2,500 arrivals have been recorded since June alone.
Greek's coastguard said they had been called out numerous times over the weekend to rescue migrants stranded in boats.