Migrant-help NGOs face 10 YEARS behind bars as Athens cracks down on ‘illegal’ aid
By SCM Correspondent
ATHENS — Greece is drawing a line in the sand with a “draconian” new immigration bill that could see humanitarian workers trading their high-vis vests for prison jumpsuits.
Under the explosive new laws, members of Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) found “facilitating” the entry or stay of illegal migrants face a minimum of 10 years in the slammer and eye-watering fines of up to €60,000 (£50,000).
The Greek government says the move is about “homeland security” and stopping the tide of irregular arrivals. But human rights groups are up in arms, claiming the law effectively turns “mercy into a crime.”
The bill transforms what were once minor administrative slip-ups into heavy-duty felonies.
Greece has long been the frontline of Europe’s migrant crisis. For years, Athens has accused certain NGOs of acting as a “taxi service” for people smugglers in the Aegean Sea.
This new bill comes just weeks after a group of 24 aid workers were finally acquitted in a high-profile “spy” trial that lasted seven years.
Critics say the government, embarrassed by that defeat in court, has simply rewritten the rulebook to make sure the next batch of activists doesn’t get off so lightly.
While the EU watches nervously, the Greek Ministry of Migration is standing firm, insisting the law is a necessary “rationalization” to ensure migration is handled by the state—not by “uncontrolled” private groups.
