The independent report titled “Alevi Refugees Rescued Off the Coast of Muğla, International Law and Human Rights Violations” documented the violations suffered by a group of 17 Alevi refugees rescued by Turkey after being pushed back from Greece. According to the report, the group, which set sail from the Syrian city of Latakia to escape sectarian violence and included five children, was beaten by Greek coast guard personnel, forcibly placed on inflatable life rafts, had their money and phones taken, and were pushed back into Turkish territorial waters; this process violated the principle of non-refoulement and international law. Turkish Coast Guard rescued the refugees off the coast of Muğla and sent them to the Ula Return Center via Marmaris. The report noted that here and thereafter, there was prolonged arbitrary detention, restriction of the right to consult with lawyers, violation of confidentiality of consultations, deprivation of children’s education and psychosocial support, and inadequate provision of basic needs. As of November 2025, 17 adults and 5 children were reportedly being held in restricted conditions at the Harran Temporary Shelter Center, and the children were unable to access formal education. The report emphasized that Turkey and Greece were violating their national and international obligations; it called on the UN and the EU to intervene humanely and legally, and listed recommendations for Greece and Frontex to stop pushback operations and implement accountability mechanisms, and for Turkey to improve detention conditions and guarantee children’s right to education. The report was prepared by Attorney Aytekin Aktaş, UN representative Salim Taş, and anthropologist Dr. Jens Kreinath.
November 17, 2025
PİRHA