all unaccompanied children relocated from the samos ccac, FOLLOWING HRLP INTERVENTION

Following HRLP’s request for interim measures to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), all Unaccompanied Children (UACs) were transferred from the Samos CCAC's Safe Zone.

Over the past months, HRLP has been making repeated interventions through awareness-raising, advocacy and strategic litigation, in order to apply pressure on the Greek government to address the horrific living conditions at the Samos CCAC's Safe Zone -to uphold its international obligations and take urgent measures to ensure the health & safety of all UACs residing in the camp.

Since January 2025, HRLP has submitted 4 separate requests for interim measures to the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) representing in total 61 unaccompanied children. We have also been closely collaborating with journalists and media workers all over the EU, aiming to raise the alarm on the gross human rights violations taking place in the Safe Zone, contributing to the wide coverage of the situation.

On the 20th of May, the ECHR accepted our latest request for interim measures, submitted on behalf of 45 Applicants (on the 16th of May), setting an important legal precedent.

In the official document submitted to the ECHR, HRLP suggested the prompt relocation of the children to a safe accommodation facility that would ensure their health, safety and protection from irreparable harm.

Specifically, HRLP argued that:

"Applicants are at imminent risk of irreparable harm since the conditions of their prolonged de facto detention amount to inhumane and degrading treatment and in the absence of proper medical care and mental health support".

Among other measures, HRLP requested that the Court urgently intervene and order Greece to immediately put an end to the imminent risk facing the UACs by:

d) ensuring that the Applicants are provided with appropriate reception conditions, duly taking account their special protection needs, with adequate medical care (including a proper diagnosis and access to full psycho-medical treatment); this result can be best achieved by transferring the Applicants to shelters for minors in mainland Greece."

Following HRLP's intervention and the ECHR's decision indicating to the Greek government to implement the requested measures, on the 2nd of June, HRLP received an official confirmation that the Samos CCAC's Safe Zone is finally completely evacuated and all unaccompanied children have been relocated.

HRLP remains in correspondence with the 45 Applicants, gathering information to follow-up with the ECHR. So far, we have confirmed that:

• 19 children have been transferred to the Safe Zone of the Fylakio RIC in Orestiada. They have received an asylum seeker's card.

• The children in Fylakio report not being allowed to exit the Safe Zone, raising concerns regarding their renewed arbitrary detention.

• The rest of the Applicants have been relocated to safe and appropriate shelters.

• Non-Applicant UACs also reported being transferred to other Controlled Access Facilities in mainland Greece, such as Vagiochori and Alexandria.

Greek Civil Society actors report that unaccompanied children from the Samos CCAC have been transferred to several locations all over the country, such as Athens, Thessaloniki, Lesvos, Patras and Giannena.

UPDATE: HRLP has confirmed that the unaccompanied children who were transferred to Fylakio RIC are now being relocated to safe and appropriate accommodation facilities.