No Beds, No Light, No Rights: New Report Exposes Greece’s Continued Use of Police Stations for Migrant Detention
A new report released by Mobile Info Team, Border Criminologies, and the Border Violence Monitoring Network sheds light on Greece’s continued use of police stations as makeshift migrant detention centres, despite longstanding commitments to end the practice.
Titled "No Beds, No Light, No Rights", the report draws on the experiences of 31 individuals detained in 25 police departments across the country between January 2020 and February 2025. It reveals widespread use of prolonged, and often unlawful, detention in police cells—facilities never designed or equipped for long-term detention.
Testimonies highlight harrowing conditions: overcrowded and unhygienic cells, denial of access to legal assistance, confiscation of mobile phones, and exposure to physical violence and verbal abuse. Many detainees reported being held in isolation, with no access to natural light, outdoor space, or medical care.
The report also finds systemic failures in oversight and accountability, documenting Greece’s ongoing violation of both national and international legal standards. Despite a reduction in official detention figures, the research underscores that the true scale of police station detention remains unknown due to a lack of transparency and monitoring.