Joint Statement: Call for Upholding Human Rights in Samos CCAC

31st January 2024 – Today, civil society organisations unite their voices to denounce the inhumane and degrading living conditions in the Samos Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC) and the continued failure to uphold human rights standards. We, the undersigned organisations, once again call for the closure of the Samos CCAC and for adequate accommodation for people, within communities and in housing.

The Samos CCAC was advertised as the solution to “ensure adequate living conditions for all groups of residents and dignified reception conditions”, yet in 2023, the living conditions in the facilities amounted to inhumane and degrading treatment. As we start a new year, we call on the Greek authorities and the European Commission to take urgent action and unite our voices to say: human rights guaranteed in 2024.

Given the urgent need for humane conditions in the CCAC, we call on the Greek authorities and the European Commission to respect people’s fundamental rights by ensuring that:

• All people are adequately accommodated, including privacy and sleeping on a bed with a mattress and clean bedding
• The unlawful de facto detention of people upon arrival and awaiting registration of their asylum requests ends
• Vulnerability assessments are conducted for every applicant for international protection
• Medical care is accessible to everyone, regardless of their legal status
• Daily water needs are met and a long-term solution is found to solve water shortages
• Food of sufficient quantity and quality is available to everyone and queues in food distribution are minimised
• Transportation from the CCAC to other parts of the island is accessible to everyone