Samos

Pregnant Woman (7th month)

Application granted

Greek authorities have followed the order of the Court to some extent

Living conditions at the time of the application

The applicant has not been provided with accommodation or additional assistance. Upon arrival, she slept in front of the police station close to the reception facility for three nights. The applicant did not have the financial means to buy a tent. She and her husband were offered to stay in a self-built tent in the so-called ‘jungle’, the forest surrounding the reception facility, together with four other men. The applicant and her husband have one blanket that they sleep on and one blanket to cover themselves. At night, temperatures can drop to close to 0°C and the applicant has to sleep with all her clothes on. As this situation makes it impossible to wash clothes, she has been wearing the same clothes since her arrival to Samos. There are bed bugs in the sleeping area and, often, rats enter the tent. The sanitary facilities are in a really bad condition and the same facilities are shared by men and women. The applicant does not feel safe and avoids going to public toilets. There is a self-made toilet two meters away from the applicant’s tent. It is used by many people; the smell is unbearable. The applicant has only very limited access to maternal health care. Although she reported vaginal bleeding and further symptoms, she was not attended by official medical staff. Moreover, she cannot afford to buy medication herself.

Decision

The Court ordered to guarantee the applicant living conditions compatible with her state of health and to prioritise the assessment of her vulnerability status.

Outcome

The applicant has been moved to a container inside the reception facility. However, this does not mean that the living conditions have improved significantly. The applicant was not provided with a mattress and had to sleep on the floor. Eventually, around the expected delivery date, she was provided with accommodation in a hotel on Samos. The applicant gave birth to a healthy baby. As of June 2020, the applicant and her baby have not been transferred to the mainland but are still staying at the hotel.

View full decision here.