The human rights watchdog has criticized Brussels for a deal aimed at curbing the migration crisis in Europe. In March, Brussels and Ankara agreed on swapping migrants in exchange for expediting EU accession talks.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Messinis
Advertisement
Human rights watchdog Amnesty International on Monday criticized an EU-Turkey deal on refugees, saying it undermines their rights under international law.
"The EU-Turkey deal has been a disaster for the thousands who have been left stranded in a dangerous, desperate and seemingly endless limbo on the Greek islands," said Gauri van Gulik, the organization's deputy director for Europe.
"It is disingenuous in the extreme that European leaders are touting the EU-Turkey deal as a success, while closing their eyes to the unbearably high cost to those suffering the consequences," she added.
The proposal outlines the repatriation of one migrant from the EU to Turkey in exchange for each Syrian refugee the 28-nation bloc accepts from Turkish camps. The deal also stipulates the possibility of the swap given that Turkey is a "safe country."
However, since the deal was agreed in March last year, very few refugees have been returned, in part due to migrants' rights to apply for asylum in Greece upon arriving.
'Squalid living conditions'
Amnesty also slammed the European Commission for failing to do more for refugees. More than one million people entered the bloc in 2015, many of them fleeing conflict and extreme poverty in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
The human rights watchdog lamented the "squalid living conditions" that migrants endure in "overcrowded camps" on the Greek isles, where many remain in detention centers.
"Nobody should die in the cold on Europe's doorstep. Leaders who claim the EU-Turkey deal could be a blueprint for new ones with countries like Libya, Sudan, Niger and elsewhere should look at the horrible consequences and be warned: this should never be repeated," said van Gulik.
However, a spokesman for the EU Commission, the bloc's executive body, said the main objective of the agreement was to destroy the business model of human smugglers, adding that its purpose was to protect human life.
In the wake of the deal, the number of migrants making the dangerous crossing across the Aegean Sea dropped significantly, he added.
How did Europe's refugee crisis start?
From escalating violence in the Middle East and Africa to incoherent asylum policy at home - DW looks at how the EU has found itself in the midst of a refugee crisis.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Fleeing war and poverty
In late 2014, with the war in Syria approaching its fourth year and Islamic State making gains in the north of the country, the exodus of Syrians intensified. At the same time, others were fleeing violence and poverty in countries such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea, Somalia, Niger and Kosovo.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Seeking refuge over the border
Vast numbers of Syrian refugees had been gathering in border-town camps in neighboring Turkey, Lebanon and Jordan since 2011. By 2015, with the camps full to bursting and residents often unable to find work or educate their children, more and more people decided to seek asylum further afield.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
A long journey on foot
In 2015 an estimated 1.5 million people made their way on foot from Greece towards western Europe via the "Balkan route". The Schengen Agreement, which allows passport-free travel within much of the EU, was called into question as refugees headed towards the wealthier European nations.
Image: Getty Images/M. Cardy
Desperate sea crossings
Tens of thousands of refugees were also attempting the perilous journey across the Mediterranean on overcrowded boats. In April 2015, 800 people of various nationalities drowned when a boat traveling from Libya capsized off the Italian coast. This was to be just one of many similar tragedies - by the end of the year, nearly 4,000 refugees were reported to have died attempting the crossing.
Image: Reuters/D. Zammit Lupi
Pressure on the borders
Countries along the EU's external border struggled to cope with the sheer number of arrivals. Fences were erected in Hungary, Slovenia, Macedonia and Austria. Asylum laws were tightened and several Schengen area countries introduced temporary border controls.
Image: picture-alliance/epa/B. Mohai
Closing the open door
Critics of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's "open-door" refugee policy claimed it had made the situation worse by encouraging more people to embark on the dangerous journey to Europe. By September 2016, Germany had also introduced temporary checks on its border with Austria.
Image: Reuters/F. Bensch
Striking a deal with Turkey
In early 2016, the EU and Turkey signed an agreement under which refugees arriving in Greece could be sent back to Turkey. The deal has been criticized by human rights groups and came under new strain following a vote by the European Parliament in November to freeze talks on Turkey's potential accession to the EU.
Image: Getty Images/AFP/A. Altan
No end in sight
With anti-immigration sentiment in Europe growing, governments are still struggling to reach a consensus on how to handle the continuing refugee crisis. Attempts to introduce quotas for the distribution of refugees among EU member states have largely failed. Conflicts in the Middle East and elsewhere show no signs coming to an end, and the death toll from refugee sea crossings is on the rise.
