“I have only one request: we need interpreters. We need interpreters so that we can proceed with the asylum procedures. We need interpreters so that we can go out and get a job. We are facing a huge injustice.” This is one of many testimonies at the Kavala and Koutsocheros reception centers about the unjustified delay in processing asylum applications and the disruption of interpretation services at refugee shelters that have now led to peaceful protests by refugees themselves who are demanding clear dates for interviews and support in their asylum process.
As stated in the Open Letter we signed with 35 other organisations, this provision of interpretation services at asylum and reception services in Greece has been severely disrupted, violating basic rights of refugees and asylum seekers, such as access to the asylum process and health services. [See the Open Letter in English and Greek HERE]
Mobile Info Team has published more testimonies and photos from the protests, describing the anguish and frustration of the protesters, who highlight the psychological pressure of uncertainty and the lack of interpreters, leaving them without the ability to communicate with the camp administrations. [see the publication HERE]
“We are protesting because we are forgotten here. There are no interpreters in the reception center, only a refugee who speaks little English and helps us to communicate only about the essentials. Because of the lack of interpreters, the legal process has stopped. But the problem is not only the legal status – we need papers to find a job and help our family,” another refugee from the Koutsoheros reception center notes. The right to asylum is fundamental, and access to interpretation is an integral part of a fair and humane migration policy. We demand that the competent authorities act immediately to restore the interpretation service and ensure the dignity and rights of people seeking protection.
PHOTO CREDITS: Mobile Info Team
