UNHCR 'deeply distressed' by reports of 92 naked migrants at Greece-Turkey border as neighbours exchange blame

Athens, Greece

Ninety-two migrants were allegedly forced to cross the Evros river from Turkey into Greece and were later discovered virtually naked and beaten. Greece has blamed Turkey for the incident it described as a "shame on civilisation."

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In the most recent of several accusations regarding migration between the neighbours, Greek Minister of Civil Protection Takis Theodorikakos charged Turkey with "instrumentalising unlawful immigration."

Speaking to Skai Television, he claimed that many migrants told Frontex, the organisation in charge of monitoring EU borders, that "three Turkish army vehicles had transferred them" to the river, which serves as a natural boundary. The migrants were found with "visible injuries".

Ankara has vehemently refuted the accusations, instead blaming Athens for the "inhuman" situation, reported AFP.

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Taking to Twitter Fahrettin Altun top press aide for Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said, "We urge Greece to abandon its harsh treatment of refugees as soon as possible, to cease its baseless and false charges against Turkey".

We urge Greece to abandon its harsh treatment of refugees as soon as possible, to cease its baseless and false charges against TÃ¼rkiye, and to deliver the dignity of government.

â Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) October 16, 2022

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"With these futile and ridiculous efforts, Greece has shown once again to the entire world that it does not respect the dignity of refugees by posting these oppressed people's pictures it has deported after extorting their personal possessions," he added in another tweet.

With these futile and ridiculous efforts, Greece has shown once again to the entire world that it does not respect the dignity of refugees by posting these oppressed peopleâs pictures it has deported after extorting their personal possessions.

â Fahrettin Altun (@fahrettinaltun) October 16, 2022

As per AFP, in the past, NGOs and the media have frequently accused Athens of forcefully attempting to push migrants back into Turkey on several occasions; however, Athens has consistently refuted these claims.

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In a tweet, the UN refugee agency, UNHCR too expressed its "deep" distress at the horrifying accounts and pictures of 92 persons who were reportedly discovered at the Greek-Turkish land border "stripped of their clothes".

UNHCR is deeply distressed by the shocking reports and images of 92 people, who were reported to have been found at the Greek-Turkish land border, stripped of their clothes.

We condemn such cruel and degrading treatment and call for a full investigation into this incident.

â UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency (@Refugees) October 16, 2022

(With inputs from agencies)

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