The Struggle for Recognition: Survivors of Human Trafficking Continue to Face Systematic Rights Violations on Samos

New I Have Rights report reveals persistent failures in the identification and protection of survivors of human trafficking in Greece.

Three years after I Have Rights (IHR) published its first report documenting the systematic failure to identify and protect survivors of human trafficking in the Samos Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC), our latest findings show that these violations continue.

Our new report, The Struggle for Recognition: Updates on the Situation of Survivors of Human Trafficking in the Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC) in Samos, draws on testimonies, legal casework and documentation from 18 survivors of human trafficking supported by IHR between September 2025 and September 2026.

The findings reveal persistent failures at every stage of the asylum procedure. Survivors continue to face inadequate identification and vulnerability assessments, unsafe and undignified reception conditions, insufficient medical and psychological care, and serious procedural shortcomings. These conditions often persist even after transfers to mainland facilities.

Despite clear indicators of human trafficking, survivors frequently remain unidentified by Greek authorities, leaving IHR to intervene to secure vulnerability assessments and referrals to the National Referral Mechanism. During the reporting period, IHR requested vulnerability assessments in at least four cases and referred seven clients to the mechanism.

These findings are particularly concerning in light of the implementation of the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum in June 2026. Its emphasis on accelerated procedures and expanded detention risks further exacerbating existing protection gaps, making it even more difficult for survivors to be identified and access the support to which they are legally entitled.

The report also follows the European Ombudsman’s July 2026 findings concerning the European Union Agency for Asylum (EUAA), which confirmed serious shortcomings in the identification of trafficking survivors and other vulnerable applicants on Samos.

The identification and protection of survivors of human trafficking is not optional. It is a binding legal obligation under international and EU law.

Our Recommendations

I Have Rights urges the Greek authorities and EU institutions to:

  1. Implement the European Ombudsman’s recommendations without delay.
  2. Ensure functioning and rights-compliant vulnerability assessments at every stage of the procedure.
  3. Guarantee survivors’ access to adequate medical, psychological and legal support, on Samos and beyond.
  4. Ensure the independence and operation of the Independent Monitoring Mechanism under the new Pact.
  5. End interceptions and pushbacks at sea, stop returns to Turkey, and ensure safe and legal passage for everyone who seeks it.

Despite years of documentation, advocacy and repeated calls for accountability, survivors of human trafficking continue to be denied the protection and support they are entitled to. IHR calls for immediate action to address these systemic violations and ensure that the rights, safety and dignity of survivors are upheld.

Read the full report: The Struggle for Recognition: Updates on the Situation of Survivors of Human Trafficking in the Closed Controlled Access Centre (CCAC) in Samos (November 2026).