European Court of Human Rights rules against Greece over refugees' rights to family reunification
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) on Wednesday ruled against Greece in three separate cases involving refugees' applications for family reunification, finding that the authorities violated the applicants' rights under the European Convention on Human Rights.
According to a statement by the Strasbourg-based court, the cases concerned delays by Greek authorities in processing family reunification requests and demands for documents that the applicants were unable to obtain.
The court found that the authorities failed to decide on the applications within a reasonable time and imposed documentary requirements that were impossible for the applicants to meet.
The ECHR ruled that Greece had violated Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right to respect for private and family life, as well as Article 13, which guarantees the right to an effective remedy.
The court ordered Greek authorities to pay each applicant €10,000 (over $11,300) in non-pecuniary damages within three months.
According to Greek media reports, the rulings mark the first time the ECHR has found Greece in violation of refugees' family reunification rights in three separate cases.
AA
