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| First refugees deported from Greece to Turkey | |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The first boat carrying people being deported from Greece to Turkey has left the port of Lesbos. | |
| Under heavy security, the first 135 migrants were being escorted onto waiting vessels as dawn broke. The first boat left shortly after 7am local time, followed by a second boat at about 7.30am. | |
| Earlier, buses carrying hundreds of refugees bound for deportation arrived at the ports of Lesbos and Chios. | |
| Two Turkish leisure vessels on Lesbos and another one on Chios are waiting to pick up the refugees, who are to be escorted by police from EU border agency Frontex. | Two Turkish leisure vessels on Lesbos and another one on Chios are waiting to pick up the refugees, who are to be escorted by police from EU border agency Frontex. |
| Related: Greece insists refugee deportations will begin despite doubts over EU-Turkey deal | Related: Greece insists refugee deportations will begin despite doubts over EU-Turkey deal |
| On Lesbos, crews were earlier seen loading supplies onto the ships - a small ferry and a catamaran. | On Lesbos, crews were earlier seen loading supplies onto the ships - a small ferry and a catamaran. |
| Turkish Interior Minister Efkan Ala has said his country is ready to receive 500 refugees on Monday and Greek authorities have provided 400 names, although these numbers could change. | Turkish Interior Minister Efkan Ala has said his country is ready to receive 500 refugees on Monday and Greek authorities have provided 400 names, although these numbers could change. |
| The expulsion is part of a controversial EU deal to send refugees back across the Aegean Sea. The policy has been criticised by rights groups on ethical grounds. | The expulsion is part of a controversial EU deal to send refugees back across the Aegean Sea. The policy has been criticised by rights groups on ethical grounds. |
| The European Union signed the controversial deal with Turkey in March as it wrestles with the continent’s worst migration crisis since the second world war, with more than one million people arriving last year. | The European Union signed the controversial deal with Turkey in March as it wrestles with the continent’s worst migration crisis since the second world war, with more than one million people arriving last year. |
| Under the agreement, designed to halt new arrivals along the most popular route through Turkey, all “irregular migrants” arriving since 20 March face being sent back. Each case is meant to be examined individually. | Under the agreement, designed to halt new arrivals along the most popular route through Turkey, all “irregular migrants” arriving since 20 March face being sent back. Each case is meant to be examined individually. |
| For every Syrian refugee returned, another Syrian refugee will be resettled from Turkey to the EU, with numbers capped at 72,000. | For every Syrian refugee returned, another Syrian refugee will be resettled from Turkey to the EU, with numbers capped at 72,000. |
| Police sources on Lesbos on Sunday said there had been a flurry of last-minute asylum applications amongst the 3,300 migrants there. | Police sources on Lesbos on Sunday said there had been a flurry of last-minute asylum applications amongst the 3,300 migrants there. |
| “We... have over two thousand people that have stated their wish to seek asylum and we need to see a credible process go ahead with the Greek asylum service for those that wish to express their protection concerns,” said Boris Cheshirkov, the UN refugee agency spokesman on Lesbos. | “We... have over two thousand people that have stated their wish to seek asylum and we need to see a credible process go ahead with the Greek asylum service for those that wish to express their protection concerns,” said Boris Cheshirkov, the UN refugee agency spokesman on Lesbos. |
| Refugees could also be sent back from other islands that have seen a large influx, such as Chios, where members of EU border agency Frontex were seen arriving Sunday. | Refugees could also be sent back from other islands that have seen a large influx, such as Chios, where members of EU border agency Frontex were seen arriving Sunday. |
| More than 52,000 men, women and children are now stranded in Greece, including 3,300 on Lesbos, following the decisions of Balkan countries to close their borders. | More than 52,000 men, women and children are now stranded in Greece, including 3,300 on Lesbos, following the decisions of Balkan countries to close their borders. |
| Greek officials have been tight-lipped over who and how many refugees will cross the Aegean Sea back to Turkey. | Greek officials have been tight-lipped over who and how many refugees will cross the Aegean Sea back to Turkey. |
| But state news agency ANA reported that some 250 people from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and African nations would be sent back daily between Monday and Wednesday. | But state news agency ANA reported that some 250 people from Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and African nations would be sent back daily between Monday and Wednesday. |
| Yiorgos Kyritsis, spokesman for Greece’s refugee coordination unit, insisted Monday’s operation only “involves people who have not requested asylum”. | Yiorgos Kyritsis, spokesman for Greece’s refugee coordination unit, insisted Monday’s operation only “involves people who have not requested asylum”. |
| Rights groups have criticised the deal, questioning whether it is legal and ethical. | Rights groups have criticised the deal, questioning whether it is legal and ethical. |
| “We don’t know what is going to actually happen,” senior UN migration official Peter Sutherland said this weekend. | “We don’t know what is going to actually happen,” senior UN migration official Peter Sutherland said this weekend. |
| “But if there is any question of collective deportations without individuals being given the right to claim asylum, that is illegal.” | “But if there is any question of collective deportations without individuals being given the right to claim asylum, that is illegal.” |
| Many refugees on the islands have complained of not being given sufficient time and access to the asylum procedure. | Many refugees on the islands have complained of not being given sufficient time and access to the asylum procedure. |
| Anas al-Bakhr, a Syrian engineer from Homs who is among those stuck on Chios island, said police marked his arrival date as March 20 - when the deal entered force - even though he arrived the day before. | Anas al-Bakhr, a Syrian engineer from Homs who is among those stuck on Chios island, said police marked his arrival date as March 20 - when the deal entered force - even though he arrived the day before. |
| “They said the computers were broken that day,” he said. | “They said the computers were broken that day,” he said. |