2021-10-25

SAMOS-KOS - This cross-border independent investigation focuses on the newly opened “closed controlled access center” on the island of Samos. The first “pilot project of the European Union” that opened on the 18th of September this year and was entirely financed (43 Million Euros) by a fund of the EU-Commission, which vowed to “No Moria Morias”, after Europe's biggest refugee Camp Moria, on the Greek island of Lesvos burned down last year.  

A team of journalists have analysed internal documents on the planning process of the camp obtained through the Freedom of Information Act from European authorities such as DG Home, FRA and EASO.

The research shows that the EU and the Greek Ministry of Migration implemented structures in the camp that their own human rights agency had warned about (barbed wire fences the camp, drones fly over the area when transferring refugees, cameras film the residents, uniformed police officers and a private security firm control what happens and the possibilities to leave the camp are limited). And furthermore, made it to its “pilot project” that should be copied EU-wide. 

The investigation is also focused on the island of Kos, where a new camp is currently under construction, and also looked into the conditions for those detained in the current camp’s detention centre, many of whom, the research showed, are being detained in breach of Greek & EU law. 

In collaboration with Disinfaux Collective and FragDenStaat. 

Photo credit: Elisa Perrigueur
 

Team members

Vera Deleja-Hotko

Vera Deleja-Hotko is an investigative journalist, based in Austria. 

Katy Fallon

Katy Fallon is a freelance journalist currently based in Athens, Greece.

Katy Fallon

Elisa Perrigueur

Elisa Perrigueur is a journalist based in the Balkans.

Elisa Perrigueur

Franziska Grillmeier

Franziska Grillmeier is a freelance journalist currently based in Greece.

Franziska Grillmeier

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