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Athens/Brussels, 23 March 2020 —  As COVID-19 sweeps across Europe, the ̽����ѡ warns that any national measures undertaken to combat the pandemic that fail to take the needs and rights of asylum seekers into account risk having a disastrous impact on the lives of people in dire need of international protection.

EU Member States have introduced a variety of new measures to contain the spread of the virus this week. In Greece, where asylum seekers on the Aegean islands have long faced severe overcrowding and lack of access to basic services, authorities have now begun   mandatory health checks for people arriving at its shores.

As Europe closes borders, restricts movement and commences mandatory screenings to try to prevent the spread of COVID-19, it is imperative that these steps are not used as a mechanism to bar admission of people seeking protection and are implemented in full respect of the principle of non-refoulement.

Imogen Sudbery, ̽����ѡ Europe Director of Policy and Advocacy said:

“In this crisis situation,EU Member States need to ensure that while they exercise their right to manage external borders and carry out health screenings, their response to COVID-19 never compromises the protection and health needs of refugees and asylum seekers. This includes ensuring meaningful access to health facilities and sanitation services, and safeguarding the right to seek asylum.”

“The steps undertaken to combat the COVID-19 pandemic cannot be used as an excuse to prevent  people applying for asylum, or discriminate against people of specific nationality. This could put them at risk of being forcibly returned to countries of origin that are far from safe.”

“While travel restrictions may be an unavoidable response in the immediate term to help to curtail the spread of the coronavirus, we urge Member States to ensure these measures are indeed temporary,  remaining in place only as long as absolutely justified by public health reasons.”

Speaking about the current situation on the Greek islands, Dimitra Kalogeropoulou, Director of ̽����ѡ Greece added:

“The reception centres across the Aegean islands are at a breaking point. Moria refugee camp on Lesvos, constructed for 3,100 people, now hosts more than 20,000 women, children and men. This massive overcrowding and the lack of sufficient sanitation facilities makes it virtually impossible to protect people’s health and safety during this unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic.”

“The only way to ensure that refugees and asylum seekers are equipped to deal with the spread of the coronavirus is by urgently relocating them off the islands, as a matter of priority, commencing with the most vulnerable, including unaccompanied minors, with priority also given to the elderly, people suffering from existing health conditions, people with disabilities, new mothers and pregnant women.”

“Today, more than ever, swift relocation is crucial to protect the health and lives of people trapped on the Greek islands, in light of the Europe-wide developments relating to the pandemic. 

"In the meantime, asylum seekers residing in reception centres should have access to all the same measures of protection and medical assistance as the rest of the Greek population. The most effective way to curb the spread of COVID-19 is by ensuring that everyone can take meaningful measures to protect themselves including adequate access to sanitation, space and healthcare."

“At this critical moment, the Greek government must ensure that humanitarian aid workers are enabled to provide much-needed support for those that remain in the reception centres.”