Refugee father faces charges over the death of his son in boat tragedy
GHRTV1
A father of a six-year-old child from Afghanistan, who died in a shipwreck in the Aegean Sea, faces up to 10 years in prison after being charged with child endangerment. Father and son were on a boat from Turkey to Greece with 25 others hoping to claim asylum in Europe. This is the first recorded case of criminal prosecution of an asylum seeker during their entrance into the country as opposed to when refuge has already been granted. According to human rights activists, this instance indicates a shift towards the hardening of already restricted migration policies. Migration Minister of Greece Notis Mitarachi denied that the entry policies were hardened. He stated that the choice to travel by unsafe means is a prosecutable act of negligence or deliberate endangerment of human life. However, activists note that without providing safe entry for those seeking refuge in Europe, the authorities are pushing people in impossible circumstances to opt for dangerous routes thought the sea.
Sources: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/3/19/refugee-father-charged-with-sons-death-on-journey-to-greece
Source of the Picture: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2020/nov/16/father-faces-criminal-charge-over-sons-death-in-migrant-boat-tragedy
