Sticks, not carrots: Immigration and rights in Greece and Turkey

Abstract

This piece critically examines migration policies in Greece and Turkey with an emphasis on the Greek experience. It examines four thematic areas which shape the migration debates: social change, citizenship, rights, and sovereignty. It then turns to the case law of the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) to assess the main challenges associated with migrants’ rights: free trial, deprivation of liberty, and conditions and procedures of detention and extradition. Honing in upon the case of Muslim migrants in Greece, it charts patterns of solidarity and exclusion. Exploring the impact of the Greek crisis on immigration, it highlights the securitisation of public discourse on migrants and the rise of xenophobic political factions. The article concludes by suggesting that there are underexplored areas in which Greece and Turkey could cooperate when it comes to immigration and ensuring migrants’ rights.