In January 2014, a small boat that was transporting illegal migrants in Greek waters went under during a Greek Coast Guard operation near the Aegean islet of Farmakonisi. During the controversial operation, 11 Afghan immigrants lost their lives.
On Thursday, the Greek prosecutor made the decision to shelve the investigation causing the indignation of human rights activists and the victims’ relatives, who demand a new investigation and threaten to present their case to the European Court of Human Rights.
“We want the investigation to be reopened. The people who are responsible for the death of our loved ones must be brought to justice,” said the families of the victims in a joint statement at a press conference that was organized in Athens by the Greek Council for Refugees, the Hellenic League for Human Rights, the Network of Social Support to Refugees and Migrants, and the Group of Lawyers for the Rights of Migrants and Refugees.
