ENNHRI, UNHCR and OHCHR provide recommendations on establishing a Greek human rights monitoring mechanism at borders
ENNHRI has joined the Offices of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) in welcoming the Greek government’s intention to establish a national human rights monitoring mechanism at its borders.
In a joint paper (in English and Greek) addressed to the Greek government, ENNHRI, UNHCR and OHCHR outlined ten recommendations to guide the establishment of a credible, independent, transparent and effective mechanism.
Based on the organisations’ shared experience of existing human rights monitoring mechanisms at national, regional and international levels, they outline that the relevant domestic legal provision should:
- ensure that the mechanism has a broad thematic mandate;
- guarantee the independence of the mechanism and grant it operational autonomy;
- ensure its complementarity with existing human rights monitoring structures;
- ensure that those carrying out monitoring functions have institutional experience in international human rights law
,and EU and Greek fundamental rights law; - provide the mechanism with sufficient and sustainable funding and resources;
- set appropriate transparency and accountability standards; and,
- provide the mechanism with the power to conduct unannounced visits, and to have unimpeded access to all necessary documents, locations, witnesses, and victims.
The joint recommendations were sent to the Greek Minister of Migration and Asylum, the Minister of Citizens’ Protection, the Minister of Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy, and the Minister of State.
They complement ENNHRI’s Opinion on Independent Human Rights Monitoring Mechanisms at Borders. The Greek National Commission for Human Rights (Greek NHRI) has recently reported on its work to promote and protect the human rights of migrants at borders.
