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| First refugees deported from Greece to Turkey | First refugees deported from Greece to Turkey |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| The first boats carrying people being deported from Greece to Turkey have departed from Lesbos. | The first boats carrying people being deported from Greece to Turkey have departed from Lesbos. |
| As dawn broke, 131 refugees were escorted by police from EU border agency Frontex onto the waiting ferry and catamaran. The first boat, headed for the Turkish town of Dikili, left shortly after 7am local time, followed by a second boat at about 7.30am. | |
| 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 |
| Reports said the boats were mainly carrying people from Pakistan and Morocco. Just two Syrians were onboard, both of whom had reportedly volunteered to travel back to Turkey. | |
| Another Turkish catamaran was transporting refugees from the neighbouring island of Chios. Officials had not confirmed how many people were on board. | |
| “The procedure was very calm, everything was orderly,” Frontex spokeswoman Ewa Moncure told reporters at Lesbos harbour. | |
| However, a small group of activists protested outside the port chanting “Shame on you!” Volunteer rescuers protesting at sea lifted a banner above their vessel which read: “Ferries for safe passage, not for deportation.” | |
| Earlier, buses carrying hundreds of refugees bound for deportation arrived at the ports of Lesbos and Chios. | Earlier, buses carrying hundreds of refugees bound for deportation arrived at the ports of Lesbos and Chios. |
| 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. |
| Total transparency on this EU-Turkey deal. Turks now putting up blue tarp to stop the prying eyes of the press pic.twitter.com/KSYm5zDOSq | |
| 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. |
| Agence France-Presse and Reuters contributed to this report |