The Greek migration minister, Notis Mitarachi, shared one photo showing a group of men with their faces blurred, gathered together with all of their clothes removed, some crouching and covering their genitals. NBC News has not independently verified the circumstances surround the image being taken, and it was unclear why the men were without their clothes.
“Turkey's behavior toward 92 migrants whom we rescued at the borders today, is a shame for civilization,” he said on Twitter. “We expect Ankara to investigate the incident and protect at last, its borders with the E.U.”
Frontex, the European Union’s border agency, assisted in the rescue of the 92 men, some of whom had “visible injuries,” spokesperson Katarzyna Volkmann told NBC News in an emailed statement.
Frontex immediately flagged there had been a “potential violation of fundamental rights” to the agency’s fundamental rights office, she added.
But İsmail Çatakli, Turkey’s interior minister, rejected the accusation that his country was responsible.
“As you couldn’t find one single case of human rights violation by [Turkey], you just seek to expose image of your cruelty you’ve inflicted as if [Turkey has] done [it]!” he said in a direct response to Mitarachi on Twitter:
Fahrettin Altun, the Turkish government’s communications director, went even further on Sunday by describing the accusation that Turkish bears responsibility as a product of a “Greek fake news machine.”
“Greece once again showed the whole world that it does not even respect the dignity of these oppressed people, by publishing the photographs of the refugees it has deported, extorting their personal belongings,” he said on Twitter.
NBC News has contacted the governments of both Greece and Turkey for comment, but did not immediately receive responses.
The United Nations has called for an urgent investigation after almost 100 migrants were found distressed, bruised and stripped naked at the border between Greece and Turkey — as the two countries fiercely trade blame for the disturbing discovery.
The group of 92 men, mostly from Afghanistan and Syria, were found close to the Evros river that marks the border on Friday, Greek police said in a statement Saturday.
Some of the migrants, who had entered the country using plastic boats to cross, showed signs of “bodily injuries,” police added.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees admonished the “degrading treatment” of the nude asylum seekers and demanded an investigation into the incident.Some of the migrants, who had entered the country using plastic boats to cross, showed signs of “bodily injuries,” police added.
The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees admonished the “degrading treatment” of the nude asylum seekers and demanded an investigation into the incident.
It is recalled that the Minister of Citizen Protection, Takis Theodorikakos, denounced Turkey’s behavior at the Council of Ministers of the Interior and Public Order in Luxembourg on Friday, while also informed the competent European Commissioner about the daily provocations, presenting audio-visual material.
“At a time when Greece is effectively protecting its borders, showing respect for human life, Turkey continues to ignore not only International Law, but also basic human behavior”, concludes the announcement of the Ministry of Citizen Protection.
As the Ministry of Citizen Protection typically states, “Turkey continues to openly use immigrants as a tool, to violate human rights, to violate International Law”.
The specific people, as they themselves stated to the Greek Police, had been transported to Evros in three vehicles of the Turkish Authorities, while they then boarded plastic boats to cross over to the Greek side.
“UNHCR is deeply distressed by the shocking reports and images of 92 people, who were reported to have been found at the Greek-Turkish land border, stripped of their clothes,” the agency tweeted Sunday.
“We condemn such cruel and degrading treatment and call for a full investigation into this incident.”
Meanwhile, the two European countries traded accusations and insults.
Greek migration minister Notis Mitarachi tweeted a picture of the nude men Saturday, claiming his country “rescued” them after Turkey stripped them and pushed them into Greek territory.
In response, Turkey slammed the assertion as “fake news.”
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