Tommy Olsen, a Norwegian human rights worker and founder of the NGO Aegean Boat Report, was arrested at his home in Tromsø on 16 March 2026 following a European arrest warrant issued by Greek authorities. Although he was later released on 20 March, he remains at risk of extradition to Greece. Amnesty International has urged Norway not to extradite him, arguing that doing so would undermine international human rights protections and place a human rights defender at serious legal risk.
The case is linked to a 2022 Greek investigation into Olsen’s work with refugees and migrants. Alongside Panayote Dimitras of Greek Helsinki Monitor, Olsen is being prosecuted on charges related to facilitating irregular entry and stay of migrants, as well as alleged membership in a criminal organisation. According to Amnesty International, these accusations are not supported by evidence and instead reflect a misuse of anti-smuggling legislation to target legitimate humanitarian and human rights work, including support for migrants and the documentation of alleged abuses by Greek authorities.
Since founding Aegean Boat Report in 2017 after volunteering on the Greek island of Lesvos, Olsen has played a significant role in monitoring refugee and migrant arrivals in the Aegean. His work has involved documenting distress situations at sea, reporting on alleged unlawful pushbacks at Greece’s land and maritime borders, and sharing vital information with humanitarian groups, service providers, and international media. This has helped both in ensuring assistance for people in danger and in recording alleged human rights violations. His co-defendant, Panayote Dimitras, has similarly raised concerns through formal complaints about alleged pushbacks by Greek authorities.
Norwegian authorities informed Olsen on 11 February 2026 that a European arrest warrant had been issued against him. After his arrest in March, a Norwegian court ruled that he could be extradited to Greece, though he is now appealing that decision. If extradited, he could face up to 18 months in pre-trial detention. Dimitras, who remains in Greece, has already been subjected to restrictive measures including a travel ban and mandatory reporting requirements, which Amnesty says have significantly affected his human rights work.
Amnesty International argues that the case is part of a broader pattern of growing hostility toward civil society in Greece. Since 2018, Greek authorities have increasingly used anti-smuggling and facilitation laws to criminalise humanitarian and solidarity efforts aimed at supporting refugees and migrants. This has led to investigations and prosecutions of aid workers and activists, while also contributing to a chilling effect on civil society organisations operating in the migration space.
The organisation points to earlier cases, including that of Seán Binder and others linked to the NGO ERCI, as evidence of how such laws have been used to target humanitarian actors. Although those defendants were eventually acquitted, the legal process reportedly lasted more than seven years and caused major personal and professional harm. Amnesty also warns that recent changes in Greek law, which make membership in a registered migration NGO an aggravating factor in smuggling cases, further blur the line between legitimate human rights work and criminal activity. It says Norway and other European countries should avoid becoming complicit in efforts to criminalise those defending the rights of refugees and migrants.
