Europe’s Humanitarian Mirage: Shrinking Spaces for Civil Society amidst The Criminalisation of Solidarity with People-on-the-Move on Chios, Greece
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2023-09-08
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en
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This research investigates the emergence, legitimation, and consequences of the criminalization of civil society support for People-on-the-move within the European Union (EU) and specifically in Chios, Greece. It developed a theoretical framework that intertwines bordering and othering processes, demonstrating how discourses of "crimmigration" connect criminal and migration laws, ultimately criminalizing those assisting People-on-the-Move. This process is grounded in the three-layered border mechanism, comprising "paper borders," "iron borders," and "camp borders."
The study explores the nature of criminalization, encompassing formal methods like judicial actions, court trials, and administrative and criminal charges, often justified by the EU Facilitators Package. Informal tactics involve scrutiny, bureaucratic obstacles, smear campaigns, threats, harassment, and violence. The ramifications of this criminalisation are palpable in Chios, Greece, where NGOs have vanished, others collaborate with the government, or operate covertly. The fear of being labeled smugglers and distrust in authorities further curtail their activities.
This cycle of criminalisation reinforces the need for legal pathways for people-on-the-move and cross-border solidarity within the EU. The criminalisation of solidarity not only isolates People-on-the-Move but also undermines the EU's humanitarian principles, potentially steering Europe toward an authoritarian trajectory, contrary to its foundational ideals, potentially jeopardizing the entire European project.
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Faculteit der Managementwetenschappen