Assisted suicides

Afghans and Syrians on Chios say policy will lead to “terrible scenes”, as concerns grow over 13 deported “by mistake” Afghans and Syrians detained in a camp on the Greek island of Chios say they will kill themselves if they are expelled from the EU under its migration deal with Turkey. On Monday, 202 migrants were forcibly returned from Lesbos and Chios to the Turkish coast under the landmark deal aimed at halting “irregular” migration to Europe. But Souaob Nouri from Kabul, who is held in the high-security camp in Chios, said: “If they deport us, we will kill ourselves. We will not go back”. A man next to him warned of “terrible scenes” if Greek authorities insisted on pursuing policies that have already caused alarm among human rights groups. “We are not terrorists”, said the man, who gave his name as Akimi. “We are refugees. The conditions here are very bad. There is no water. They hit pregnant women. Why do they treat us like this? All we want is asylum”. [Read more].

• Helena Smith and Patrick Kingsley, Refugees in Greece warn of suicides over EU-Turkey deal, The Guardian, April 7, 2016

People sleep at the port on Chios island, Greece. Photo: Petros Giannakouris/AP.