Protest in Athens against police treatment of immigrants

Athens — Hundreds of people protested Sunday in central Athens against the Greek authorities’ treatment of immigrants, following the recent deaths of two Asians near a police headquarters.

Organisers said a 24-year-old Bangladeshi man died on January 3 when he fell into a ravine after a scuffle near an immigration police station in the capital’s industrial district.

His death followed the death of a Pakistani in October at the same spot, while another immigrant was found seriously injured there in December.

Greek police deny any involvement in the incidents at its immigration headquarters, where hundreds of immigrants gather every Friday evening to register requests for asylum in the country.

Last month anti-racism campaigners took to the streets in Athens against tougher EU asylum policies that would increasingly oblige refugees to apply for asylum status from outside the bloc.

More than one million immigrants live in Greece — roughly one-tenth of the population — of whom more than 200,000 lack residency papers.

The country also faces a daily influx of migrants who arrive from Asia via Turkey hoping to reach western Europe.

AFP/Expatica