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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Helena Smith in Athens

Greece passes draconian legislation with prison terms for rejected asylum seekers

A group of people standing behind a wire fence
Migrants rescued south of Crete in July wait to be registered on their arrival at the the port of Lavrio. Photograph: Petros Giannakouris/AP

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, Greece has had a surge in migrant arrivals this year.

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