Greece passes draconian legislation with prison terms for rejected asylum seekers • Those who have asylum claims rejected and do not leave within 14 days will face prison terms of two to five years

###Those who have asylum claims rejected and do not leave within 14 days will face prison terms of two to five years

Greece has passed draconian legislation that could mean rejected asylum seekers receiving prison terms, fines and orders to wear ankle tags, in a move that reflects the centre-right government’s continued attempts to deter undocumented migrants from arriving on its soil.

The tough penalties usher in an unprecedented era of zero tolerance for people who remain in the country if their asylum claims are denied. As a frontier state, long viewed as a gateway to [Europe](https://www.theguardian.com/world/europe-news), Greece has had a surge in migrant arrivals this year.

An unabashed rightwinger whose stance has caused ripples among the more moderate members of Greece’s centre-right government, Plevris insisted asylum would continue to be granted to applicants who fulfilled the need for international protection.

But under the new law, asylum seekers who have their claims rejected and do not leave the country within 14 days face prison terms of two to five years. Deterrence measures will also be toughened: people who arrive without the proper paperwork will be detained for 24 months, up from the current 18 months, while unregulated migrants who have been in Greece for seven years will no longer have the right to legalise their status. Those found guilty of illegal entry will be fined €10,000.

Addressing parliament, Plevris said he was proud to have overseen the legislation, which will put Greece at the forefront of policies that few EU members have wanted to enforce.

But on Wednesday the backlash was as instant as it was broad, with judges taking the unprecedented step of weighing in to criticise the legislation’s emphasis on repression.

Highlighting the lack of consensus over the measures, Dimitris Kairidis, who stepped down as migration and asylum minister in 2024, told the Guardian that while deterrence remained paramount, it was vital Athens also eased legal pathways of migration at a time when labour shortages were acute.

###Δείτε επίσης:

* [Under New Law, Greece Can Imprison Rejected Asylum Seekers • A surge in migrants landing on Crete this summer has diminished, but Greece is hoping to deter future undocumented immigration.](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/02/world/europe/greece-asylum-seekers.html) (New York Times)
* [Greece toughens penalties for rejected asylum seekers, speeds up returns](https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/greece-toughens-penalties-rejected-asylum-seekers-speeds-up-returns-2025-09-03/) (Reuters)

I welcome the establishment of Guantanamo Island.

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