13 Pakistanis die in Greek detention since 2000

At least 13 Pakistani nationals have died in police and immigration detention facilities in

ISLAMABAD: At least 13 Pakistani nationals have died in police and immigration detention facilities in Greece since 2000, according to research published by the University of Oxford on Tuesday, highlighting concerns over deaths in custody and the lack of official transparency.

The findings are part of an archive published by Detention Landscapes in English, Greek and Arabic. The research documents at least 112 deaths of foreign nationals in Greek detention facilities over the past 26 years.

According to the study, Pakistanis and Albanians were the largest identified groups by nationality, with 13 deaths recorded in each category. However, the nationality of 32 individuals could not be established.

The research draws on police records obtained through Freedom of Information requests, reports from international monitoring organisations, media archives and interviews with people who had previously been detained in Greece.

It documents deaths in police stations and immigration detention centres across the country. Since Greece established its first pre-removal detention centre in 2012, at least 27 deaths have been reported in such facilities.

Researchers pointed out that Greek authorities do not regularly publish comprehensive information about foreign nationals who die in custody. Official records also lack consistent details about victims’ identities, the locations of deaths and the circumstances surrounding the incidents.

The study found that most victims were men, accounting for 82 of the documented deaths, while four were women. The gender of another 26 individuals was not recorded.

Among the 70 victims whose ages were available, the median age was 33.5 years, with 45 individuals below the age of 40.

Suicide was the most frequently recorded cause of death in official police and government records, accounting for 44 cases. Another 20 deaths were attributed to medical or pathological causes, while authorities did not provide a cause of death in 36 cases.

The researchers also raised concerns about allegations of inadequate medical care and physical abuse in detention facilities, based on information gathered from non-governmental organisations and other sources.

They said significant gaps remained in the documentation of deaths involving people held in state custody, with basic information about victims and the circumstances of their deaths often unavailable.

Media coverage of such incidents was also found to be limited, frequently relying on brief statements from police without providing detailed accounts of the victims or the events leading to their deaths.

The study noted that accounts from relatives, friends and fellow detainees were often absent from media reports, leaving important questions about the incidents unanswered.

Researchers also examined the broader relationship between restrictive immigration policies, violence against racialised communities and policing practices in Greek society, calling attention to the wider consequences of immigration detention and inadequate accountability.