Seid Ahmed Messani passed through the Greek port city of Patras and stayed for a short time in a shantytown built by Afghani refugees trying to catch passage to Italy. While he was there, he drew a picture detailing his journey — and his despair that Europe was not the promised land he had imagined.
In recent years, Greece has become one of the most important entry points to the continent for illegal immigrants and refugees, especially for those fleeing conflict and instability in Iraq and Afghanistan. Last year, more than 150,000 people were caught on Greece’s borders.
A picture drawn in the Greek port city of Patras by a 14-year-old Afghan boy Seil about his journey to Europe. The picture was drawn for a Greek psychologist working with migrant children as part of a project run by Medecins Sans Frontieres in a makeshift shantytown
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A picture drawn in the Greek port city of Patras by a 14-year-old Afghan boy Seil about his journey to Europe. The picture was drawn for a Greek psychologist working with migrant children as part of a project run by Medecins Sans Frontieres in a makeshift shantytown
A picture drawn in the Greek port city of Patras by a 14-year-old Afghan boy Seil about his journey to Europe. The picture was drawn for a Greek psychologist working with migrant children as part of a project run by Medecins Sans Frontieres in a makeshift shantytown
The Greek port city of Patras has become a major human-trafficking hub for undocumented migrants, especially Afghans, trying to reach Italy and other parts of Western Europe. Over the past several years, as many as 2000 Afghans at a time have lived in this squatter camp on the edge of the city while they try to smuggle themselves aboard ferries to Italy. The camp was destroyed bv Greek police in July 2009.
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The Greek port city of Patras has become a major human-trafficking hub for undocumented migrants, especially Afghans, trying to reach Italy and other parts of Western Europe. Over the past several years, as many as 2000 Afghans at a time have lived in this squatter camp on the edge of the city while they try to smuggle themselves aboard ferries to Italy. The camp was destroyed bv Greek police in July 2009.
The Greek port city of Patras has become a major human-trafficking hub for undocumented migrants, especially Afghans, trying to reach Italy and other parts of Western Europe. Over the past several years, as many as 2000 Afghans at a time have lived in this squatter camp on the edge of the city while they try to smuggle themselves aboard ferries to Italy. The camp was destroyed bv Greek police in July 2009.
An unfinished building is the temporary home of Afghan migrants in the Greek port city of Patras. Many young men and boys spend months stuck in the city while they try to smuggle themselves aboard ferries to Italy.They live in squalid conditions without access to running water or sanitation and are often harassed by police.
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An unfinished building is the temporary home of Afghan migrants in the Greek port city of Patras. Many young men and boys spend months stuck in the city while they try to smuggle themselves aboard ferries to Italy.They live in squalid conditions without access to running water or sanitation and are often harassed by police.
An unfinished building is the temporary home of Afghan migrants in the Greek port city of Patras. Many young men and boys spend months stuck in the city while they try to smuggle themselves aboard ferries to Italy.They live in squalid conditions without access to running water or sanitation and are often harassed by police.
23-year-old Afghan migrant in the Greek port city of Patras Marc 2009. He had spent nine months there trying to sneak onto a boat to Italy.
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23-year-old Afghan migrant in the Greek port city of Patras Marc 2009. He had spent nine months there trying to sneak onto a boat to Italy.
23-year-old Afghan migrant in the Greek port city of Patras Marc 2009. He had spent nine months there trying to sneak onto a boat to Italy.
Thousands of migrants, most from Afghanistan, live in shacks made of paper, plastic sheeting and wooden boards scavenged from a nearby beach. Others squat in a nearby abandoned building near the sea. The conditions in the camp are inhuman. Few of the migrants living in Patras have access to water or sanitation facilities and police frequently harass them when they try to use public toilets, collect water from taps or buy food from local stores.
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Thousands of migrants, most from Afghanistan, live in shacks made of paper, plastic sheeting and wooden boards scavenged from a nearby beach. Others squat in a nearby abandoned building near the sea. The conditions in the camp are inhuman. Few of the migrants living in Patras have access to water or sanitation facilities and police frequently harass them when they try to use public toilets, collect water from taps or buy food from local stores.
Thousands of migrants, most from Afghanistan, live in shacks made of paper, plastic sheeting and wooden boards scavenged from a nearby beach. Others squat in a nearby abandoned building near the sea. The conditions in the camp are inhuman. Few of the migrants living in Patras have access to water or sanitation facilities and police frequently harass them when they try to use public toilets, collect water from taps or buy food from local stores.
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Afghan migrants wait on the beach near the Greek port city of Patras. Thousands pass of young Afghan men and boys pass through the city every year on their way to Italy. They try to smuggle themselves aboard ferries by hiding in trucks and shipping containers. Many have died.
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Afghan migrants wait on the beach near the Greek port city of Patras. Thousands pass of young Afghan men and boys pass through the city every year on their way to Italy. They try to smuggle themselves aboard ferries by hiding in trucks and shipping containers. Many have died.
Afghan migrants wait on the beach near the Greek port city of Patras. Thousands pass of young Afghan men and boys pass through the city every year on their way to Italy. They try to smuggle themselves aboard ferries by hiding in trucks and shipping containers. Many have died.
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The remains of a makeshift hut in the “Afghan Jungle,” outside the Greek port city of Patras. After their camp was destroyed in July 2009, Afghan migrants built new temporary homes in an olive grove. But in early 2010, Greek police began tryng to drive the migrants from the olive grove, arresting residents and tearing down their huts. But many have nowhere else to go so continue to return to the Jungle despite the risk of arrest.
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The remains of a makeshift hut in the “Afghan Jungle,” outside the Greek port city of Patras. After their camp was destroyed in July 2009, Afghan migrants built new temporary homes in an olive grove. But in early 2010, Greek police began tryng to drive the migrants from the olive grove, arresting residents and tearing down their huts. But many have nowhere else to go so continue to return to the Jungle despite the risk of arrest.
The remains of a makeshift hut in the “Afghan Jungle,” outside the Greek port city of Patras. After their camp was destroyed in July 2009, Afghan migrants built new temporary homes in an olive grove. But in early 2010, Greek police began tryng to drive the migrants from the olive grove, arresting residents and tearing down their huts. But many have nowhere else to go so continue to return to the Jungle despite the risk of arrest.
Several times a day Ahmed goes up and down 6th floor "as higher as -better , less rats". Hundreds of mainly African migrants have been living in squalor and disease-ridden conditions, without electricity and working toilets in the empty building that once housed the Athens appeals court.
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Several times a day Ahmed goes up and down 6th floor "as higher as -better , less rats". Hundreds of mainly African migrants have been living in squalor and disease-ridden conditions, without electricity and working toilets in the empty building that once housed the Athens appeals court.
Several times a day Ahmed goes up and down 6th floor "as higher as -better , less rats". Hundreds of mainly African migrants have been living in squalor and disease-ridden conditions, without electricity and working toilets in the empty building that once housed the Athens appeals court.
Illegal immigrants to Greece sleep in the abandoned former appeals court building in central Athens. Hundreds of mainly African migrants have been living in squalor and disease-ridden conditions, without electricity and working toilets in the empty building that once housed the Athens appeals court, just a block away from the National Theatre and one of the capital's main squares
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Illegal immigrants to Greece sleep in the abandoned former appeals court building in central Athens. Hundreds of mainly African migrants have been living in squalor and disease-ridden conditions, without electricity and working toilets in the empty building that once housed the Athens appeals court, just a block away from the National Theatre and one of the capital's main squares
Illegal immigrants to Greece sleep in the abandoned former appeals court building in central Athens. Hundreds of mainly African migrants have been living in squalor and disease-ridden conditions, without electricity and working toilets in the empty building that once housed the Athens appeals court, just a block away from the National Theatre and one of the capital's main squares
Scared immigrants are looking trought broken window of an abandoned court building in central Athens where they live. Outside, members of an ultra-nationalist group called Chryssi Avghi, or Golden Dawn, are attacking the building. About 300 members of the far-right group attacked the migrant squat after a protest in a nearby square. The group says migrants are taking over the city.
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Scared immigrants are looking trought broken window of an abandoned court building in central Athens where they live. Outside, members of an ultra-nationalist group called Chryssi Avghi, or Golden Dawn, are attacking the building. About 300 members of the far-right group attacked the migrant squat after a protest in a nearby square. The group says migrants are taking over the city.
Scared immigrants are looking trought broken window of an abandoned court building in central Athens where they live. Outside, members of an ultra-nationalist group called Chryssi Avghi, or Golden Dawn, are attacking the building. About 300 members of the far-right group attacked the migrant squat after a protest in a nearby square. The group says migrants are taking over the city.
Members of a neo-Nazi group called Chryssi Avghi, or Golden Dawn, attack an abandoned former appeals court building in central Athens that is home to hundreds of North African migrants. The violence erupted after some 300 members of the neo-Nazi group protested in Athens' Omonia square saying they wanted to liberate Athens and Greece from what they described as "hordes of illegal immigrants".
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Members of a neo-Nazi group called Chryssi Avghi, or Golden Dawn, attack an abandoned former appeals court building in central Athens that is home to hundreds of North African migrants. The violence erupted after some 300 members of the neo-Nazi group protested in Athens' Omonia square saying they wanted to liberate Athens and Greece from what they described as "hordes of illegal immigrants".
Members of a neo-Nazi group called Chryssi Avghi, or Golden Dawn, attack an abandoned former appeals court building in central Athens that is home to hundreds of North African migrants. The violence erupted after some 300 members of the neo-Nazi group protested in Athens' Omonia square saying they wanted to liberate Athens and Greece from what they described as "hordes of illegal immigrants".
A North African migrant hides after throwing a stone at members of a far-right group, called Chryssi Avghi, or Golden Dawn, who are attacking an immigrant squat in central Athens in May 2009. Hundreds of illegal migrants from Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco lived in the building, which was full of trash and lacked any sanitation or running water.
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A North African migrant hides after throwing a stone at members of a far-right group, called Chryssi Avghi, or Golden Dawn, who are attacking an immigrant squat in central Athens in May 2009. Hundreds of illegal migrants from Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco lived in the building, which was full of trash and lacked any sanitation or running water.
A North African migrant hides after throwing a stone at members of a far-right group, called Chryssi Avghi, or Golden Dawn, who are attacking an immigrant squat in central Athens in May 2009. Hundreds of illegal migrants from Algeria, Tunisia and Morocco lived in the building, which was full of trash and lacked any sanitation or running water.
A migrant shows a victory sign in the courtyard of an abandoned courthouse building in central Athens after clashes with members of an ultra-nationalist group on May 9, 2009. The migrants were attacked by members of a far-right, anti-immigrant group.
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A migrant shows a victory sign in the courtyard of an abandoned courthouse building in central Athens after clashes with members of an ultra-nationalist group on May 9, 2009. The migrants were attacked by members of a far-right, anti-immigrant group.
A migrant shows a victory sign in the courtyard of an abandoned courthouse building in central Athens after clashes with members of an ultra-nationalist group on May 9, 2009. The migrants were attacked by members of a far-right, anti-immigrant group.
Immigrants in the abandoned former appeals court building where they live, after clashes with members of ultra nationalist group on May 9, 2009 in central Athens. Violence erupted after members of neo-Nazi group Chryssi Avghi, or Golden Dawn, gathered in Omonia square saying they wanted to liberate Athens and Greece from what they described as "hordes of illegal immigrants".
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Immigrants in the abandoned former appeals court building where they live, after clashes with members of ultra nationalist group on May 9, 2009 in central Athens. Violence erupted after members of neo-Nazi group Chryssi Avghi, or Golden Dawn, gathered in Omonia square saying they wanted to liberate Athens and Greece from what they described as "hordes of illegal immigrants".
Immigrants in the abandoned former appeals court building where they live, after clashes with members of ultra nationalist group on May 9, 2009 in central Athens. Violence erupted after members of neo-Nazi group Chryssi Avghi, or Golden Dawn, gathered in Omonia square saying they wanted to liberate Athens and Greece from what they described as "hordes of illegal immigrants".
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Migrants wait to submit applications for asylum outside a Greek police station in central Athens. Only a few hundred applications are accepted each week and the office is only open for one hour on Saturday morning. Many immigrants wait all night, only to be sent away by police in the morning.
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Migrants wait to submit applications for asylum outside a Greek police station in central Athens. Only a few hundred applications are accepted each week and the office is only open for one hour on Saturday morning. Many immigrants wait all night, only to be sent away by police in the morning.
Migrants wait to submit applications for asylum outside a Greek police station in central Athens. Only a few hundred applications are accepted each week and the office is only open for one hour on Saturday morning. Many immigrants wait all night, only to be sent away by police in the morning.
Migrants outside a Greek police station, where they hope to submit applications for political asylum the next morning The police station is the only place in Athens that accepts refugee applications, but it only accepts a few hundred each week. Most of those waiting will be sent away by police without having submitted their applications.
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Migrants outside a Greek police station, where they hope to submit applications for political asylum the next morning The police station is the only place in Athens that accepts refugee applications, but it only accepts a few hundred each week. Most of those waiting will be sent away by police without having submitted their applications.
Migrants outside a Greek police station, where they hope to submit applications for political asylum the next morning The police station is the only place in Athens that accepts refugee applications, but it only accepts a few hundred each week. Most of those waiting will be sent away by police without having submitted their applications.
Migrants outside a Greek police station, where they hope to submit applications for political asylum the next morning The police station is the only place in Athens that accepts refugee applications, but it only accepts a few hundred each week. Most of those waiting will be sent away by police without having submitted their applications.
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Migrants outside a Greek police station, where they hope to submit applications for political asylum the next morning The police station is the only place in Athens that accepts refugee applications, but it only accepts a few hundred each week. Most of those waiting will be sent away by police without having submitted their applications.
Migrants outside a Greek police station, where they hope to submit applications for political asylum the next morning The police station is the only place in Athens that accepts refugee applications, but it only accepts a few hundred each week. Most of those waiting will be sent away by police without having submitted their applications.
Migrants sleep outside a Greek police station, where they hope to submit applications for political asylum. The police station is the only place in Athens that accepts refugee applications, but it only accepts a few hundred each week. Most of them will be sent away by police the next morning without having submitted their applications.
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Migrants sleep outside a Greek police station, where they hope to submit applications for political asylum. The police station is the only place in Athens that accepts refugee applications, but it only accepts a few hundred each week. Most of them will be sent away by police the next morning without having submitted their applications.
Migrants sleep outside a Greek police station, where they hope to submit applications for political asylum. The police station is the only place in Athens that accepts refugee applications, but it only accepts a few hundred each week. Most of them will be sent away by police the next morning without having submitted their applications.
Mohamed Ashraf from Pakistan deadly injured outside a Greek police station, where migrants wait to submit applications for political asylum .He fall to a while the immigrants had to dispearse from a nearby police station while no more asylum applications would be accepted. Immigrants waited at the same spot the whole night, and a small number of them was able tThe police station is the only place in Athens that accepts refugee applications, but it only accepts a few hundred each week. Most of those waiting will be sent away by police without having submitted their applications.
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Mohamed Ashraf from Pakistan deadly injured outside a Greek police station, where migrants wait to submit applications for political asylum .He fall to a while the immigrants had to dispearse from a nearby police station while no more asylum applications would be accepted. Immigrants waited at the same spot the whole night, and a small number of them was able tThe police station is the only place in Athens that accepts refugee applications, but it only accepts a few hundred each week. Most of those waiting will be sent away by police without having submitted their applications.
Mohamed Ashraf from Pakistan deadly injured outside a Greek police station, where migrants wait to submit applications for political asylum .He fall to a while the immigrants had to dispearse from a nearby police station while no more asylum applications would be accepted. Immigrants waited at the same spot the whole night, and a small number of them was able tThe police station is the only place in Athens that accepts refugee applications, but it only accepts a few hundred each week. Most of those waiting will be sent away by police without having submitted their applications.
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A North African migrant arrested by police downtown Athens.Becouse most migrants dosen't have valid papppers police is sending them to jail where thay can stay from 3days till 30 days
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A North African migrant arrested by police downtown Athens.Becouse most migrants dosen't have valid papppers police is sending them to jail where thay can stay from 3days till 30 days
A North African migrant arrested by police downtown Athens.Becouse most migrants dosen't have valid papppers police is sending them to jail where thay can stay from 3days till 30 days
A North African arrested by police downtown Athens.Becouse most migrants dosen't have valid papppers police is sending them to jail where thay can stay from 3days till 30 days
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A North African arrested by police downtown Athens.Becouse most migrants dosen't have valid papppers police is sending them to jail where thay can stay from 3days till 30 days
A North African arrested by police downtown Athens.Becouse most migrants dosen't have valid papppers police is sending them to jail where thay can stay from 3days till 30 days
A African prostitutes in central Athens. Once unknown in Greece, where brothels are legal, street prostitution is now a familiar site in many downtown neighborhoods.
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A African prostitutes in central Athens. Once unknown in Greece, where brothels are legal, street prostitution is now a familiar site in many downtown neighborhoods.
A African prostitutes in central Athens. Once unknown in Greece, where brothels are legal, street prostitution is now a familiar site in many downtown neighborhoods.
A young African prostitute solicits clients in central Athens. Once unknown in Greece, where brothels are legal, street prostitution is now a familiar site in many downtown neighborhoods.
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A young African prostitute solicits clients in central Athens. Once unknown in Greece, where brothels are legal, street prostitution is now a familiar site in many downtown neighborhoods.
A young African prostitute solicits clients in central Athens. Once unknown in Greece, where brothels are legal, street prostitution is now a familiar site in many downtown neighborhoods.
Most migrants don’t want to stay in Greece, where it is almost impossible to get refugee status or work legally. Instead, they are trapped in a terrible limbo, unable to return home or continue further into Europe. In Greece, there are few jobs for migrants, and even less help. Many end up living on the streets, where they risk arrest and abuse from police. But the routes to Italy -- the next step on the route to Western Europe -- are becoming increasingly difficult.
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Most migrants don’t want to stay in Greece, where it is almost impossible to get refugee status or work legally. Instead, they are trapped in a terrible limbo, unable to return home or continue further into Europe. In Greece, there are few jobs for migrants, and even less help. Many end up living on the streets, where they risk arrest and abuse from police. But the routes to Italy -- the next step on the route to Western Europe -- are becoming increasingly difficult.
Most migrants don’t want to stay in Greece, where it is almost impossible to get refugee status or work legally. Instead, they are trapped in a terrible limbo, unable to return home or continue further into Europe. In Greece, there are few jobs for migrants, and even less help. Many end up living on the streets, where they risk arrest and abuse from police. But the routes to Italy -- the next step on the route to Western Europe -- are becoming increasingly difficult.
A migrant is arrested by Greek police in central Athens for selling drugs. He had a small matchbox containing marijuana. Unable to find work, some migrants become drug dealers in order to survive.
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A migrant is arrested by Greek police in central Athens for selling drugs. He had a small matchbox containing marijuana. Unable to find work, some migrants become drug dealers in order to survive.
A migrant is arrested by Greek police in central Athens for selling drugs. He had a small matchbox containing marijuana. Unable to find work, some migrants become drug dealers in order to survive.
A Somali man sits on a beach near the Greek port city of Patras, near a makeshift encampment housing African migrants. Afghans comprise the largest group of migrants in Patras, but there are hundreds of Africans in the city as well. Frequently fights break out between Afghan and African migrants over access to the boats bound for Italy.
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A Somali man sits on a beach near the Greek port city of Patras, near a makeshift encampment housing African migrants. Afghans comprise the largest group of migrants in Patras, but there are hundreds of Africans in the city as well. Frequently fights break out between Afghan and African migrants over access to the boats bound for Italy.
A Somali man sits on a beach near the Greek port city of Patras, near a makeshift encampment housing African migrants. Afghans comprise the largest group of migrants in Patras, but there are hundreds of Africans in the city as well. Frequently fights break out between Afghan and African migrants over access to the boats bound for Italy.
