Any claims of fundamental rights violations in Greece can now be submitted electronically and in total confidentiality via the Fundamental Rights Officer at the country's Ministry of Migration and Asylum.

The standardized complaints forms, as well as information on how to fill out and submit them, are now available on the website of the Ministry of Migration and Asylum.

The establishment of the new mechanism is part of the responsibilities of the Fundamental Rights Officer, who currently receives written complaints from third country nationals on alleged violations of fundamental rights by actions or omissions of public authorities during entrance to the country and/or reception and/or asylum procedures in Greece.

Functions and responsibilities of the Fundamental Rights Officer

The Fundamental Rights Officer will handle complaints with complete confidentiality and the system will inform the claimants of the progress of the examination of their case as well as if/when the case is transferred for further examination to the competent bodies.

Human rights groups, NGOs, international media, opposition political parties and migrants themselves have long criticized the Greek government for their perceived hardline policies on migrants, and especially for carrying out illegal so-called "pushbacks", or summary deportations of people arriving in the country without allowing them to apply for asylum, an accusation that Athens strongly denies.

In the summer, Refugee Support Aegean (Rsa), released a joint statement signed by over 21 NGOs and other human rights organizations including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) insisting that Greece must guarantee "independent and effective monitoring of violations of the human rights of refugees and migrants".

ICMPD made first visit to Greece

In related developments, a delegation from the International Center for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD) visited Greece for the first time on Wednesday (September 27) for wide inter-ministerial meetings.

ICMPD Director General Michael Spindelegger met with various Greek officials from the Ministries of Migration, Foreign Affairs, Civil Protection and Maritime and Island Policy, including Migration Minister Dimitris Kairides, to exchange views on the latest developments in immigration.

According to a statement from the Migration Ministry, Kairides "referred in particular to the increased irregular migration flows that Greece has been receiving in recent months, while the subject of the upcoming presidency of the ICMPD, which Greece is assuming, was also discussed."

The ICMPD is an independent body with a dynamic presence in the debate on migration and asylum within and outside Europe and with growing regional influence.

Its declared goal is to contribute to the development and implementation of long-term strategies to deal with the migration phenomenon through actions and initiatives that promote transnational cooperation, research, the provision of know-how and the development of administrative capabilities for the management of migration.

The Center's actions include programs to strengthen legal and organized economic migration routes, the prevention of irregular migration, the promotion of returns and effective border management.