In this case a twelve-year-old Syrian girl entered Greece illegally in August 2024 with her aunt and was held at the Malakasa Reception and Identification Center (RIC) from September 2024 to March 2025. During more than six months, she was not issued an asylum seeker card and was unable to leave the facility. Her detention had a serious impact on her mental and physical health. She challenged the detention arguing that it amounted to unlawful and arbitrary deprivation of liberty, involved significant delays in administrative procedures (including guardianship, reception, and identification), and occurred under inadequate living conditions.
The Court found that: a) the registration and identification procedures were delayed beyond the maximum lawful period of six months, b) the detention lacked legal basis as no formal detention order was issued, c) the detention of a minor is only permitted as a last resort and no alternatives solutions had been considered. The Court ordered the immediate end to her detention and that suitable accommodation facility be provided for her and her aunt.
Read the full decision here.