Overview

• On July 11, Parliament approved by 177 to 74 votes a law pausing asylum processing for migrants arriving by sea and mandating their detention in closed camps on Crete.
• Under a bilateral accord, Greek naval vessels patrol Libyan waters to intercept migrant boats before they enter international seas.
• Since January, more than 9,000 refugees have made the perilous Libya-Crete crossing, a fourfold increase from early 2024, straining local reception capacity.
• Migrants are held in converted factories and sports halls with critical shortages of shelter, sanitation, food and bedding, and many sleep outdoors.
• UNHCR and the International Rescue Committee have condemned the measures as violations of international asylum and human rights law.