ECHR issues interim measures for 45 unaccompanied children held in poor conditions in Greece
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) has issued urgent interim measures concerning 45 unaccompanied children detained in harsh conditions at a closed migrant camp on the Greek island of Samothrace (Sisam).
According to Greek media reports, the children have been subjected to prolonged detention, inadequate nutrition, poor hygiene, and lack of access to essential healthcare services. Some of the children have reportedly been held for as long as 189 days, despite the legal maximum detention period being 25 days.
In its ruling, the ECHR stressed that the current conditions violate the children’s human dignity and called on the Greek government to:
- Ensure the provision of the children’s basic needs without delay
- Transfer them promptly to more suitable accommodation facilities
Doctors Without Borders (MSF) released a report in April highlighting cases of severe malnutrition among infants and young children in the camp, urging immediate medical intervention. MSF noted that such critical malnutrition rates among children under six have not been seen since 2021.
The court’s decision brings renewed attention to ongoing human rights concerns in Greece’s migrant detention centers.
