The Greek government has introduced a new immigration bill that imposes severe penalties on nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and humanitarian workers assisting migrants, effectively linking them to criminal conduct despite their life-saving efforts. The proposed amendments would make membership in an NGO an aggravating factor for several offenses, imposing minimum prison sentences of 10 years and fines ranging from €50,000 to €60,000 per person for facilitating illegal entry, exit, or stay. The bill also elevates the transportation of undocumented migrants from a misdemeanor to a felony and allows for up to 10 years in prison for facilitating unlawful residence.
The legislation follows the recent acquittal of 24 aid workers after a seven-year legal battle in which they were wrongly charged for conducting search and rescue operations. By targeting humanitarian actors with harsher penalties, the bill stigmatizes and discourages critical aid work, potentially reducing life-saving support for vulnerable populations.
Additionally, the bill grants the Migration Minister broad powers to deregister organizations based on criminal proceedings against individual members, restrict operations, and create a registry requiring certification for all employees and volunteers. Authorities could also revoke residence permits of legal residents suspected of involvement in NGO activities, bypassing the presumption of innocence.
Human rights experts argue that the bill unjustifiably interferes with fundamental freedoms, including freedom of association, and violates Greece’s international and regional obligations. UN special rapporteur Mary Lawlor previously highlighted the misuse of criminal law against aid workers in Greece, and the new bill effectively codifies this harassment. Critics assert that legislation should protect humanitarian efforts rather than criminalize them, urging parliament to reject the provisions and safeguard civic space.
