Report:Jan 2026

Comprehensive and Unified Report:

The Situation of Sudanese Prisoners in Greek Prisons and Mechanisms of Systematic Violations

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تقرير شامل وموحد: وضع السجناء السودانيين في السجون اليونانية وآليات الانتهاكات المنتظمة:

Time Period: From the start of the documentation campaign on April 29 until December 29, 2025.
Target Group: Primarily Sudanese prisoners and other nationalities.
Objective: To document the prisoners’ conditions and systematic legal and humanitarian violations.

Firstly: General Framework and Comprehensive Statistics

1.1 Overview:

Total Registered Prisoners: 327 prisoners (all Sudanese).
Number Tracked in Detail: 102 prisoners.
Campaign Scope: 11 main prisons in Greece:
- Chania Prison
- Volos Prison
- Avlona Prison
- Korydallos Prison
- Trikala Prison
- Malandrino Prison
- Domokos Prison
- Nigrita Prison
- Tripoli Prison
- Agios Pavlos Prison
- Avlidos Prison

1.2 Detailed Age Distribution:

Minors (under 18 years):

15 years old: 4 documented cases (actual birth year 2010 registered with a different age, some had a copy of birth certificate).
16 years old: 4 documented cases from previous trials.
17 years old: 5 documented cases.

Youth (18-25 years): 63 documented cases

18-20 years: 28 cases
21-25 years: 35 cases

Adults (26-40 years): 38 documented cases

26-30 years: 22 cases
31-35 years: 12 cases
36-40 years: 4 cases

Elderly (over 40 years): 3 documented cases (41-46 years)

1.3 Geographical Distribution of Prisoners:

Chania Prison (Crete): 140 prisoners (36 under detailed monitoring) – Largest gathering, worst conditions.
Volos Prison: 41 prisoners (41 under detailed monitoring) – Complete monitoring of all prisoners.
Korydallos Prison: 42 prisoners (23 under detailed monitoring) – Recent increase after adding 17 cases.
Avlona Prison: 70 prisoners (1 under detailed monitoring) – Partial tracking only.
Napoli Prison: 8 prisoners (2 under detailed monitoring) – Limited tracking.
Trikala Prison: 6 prisoners (1 under detailed monitoring) – Individual tracking.
Malandrino Prison: 5 prisoners – Preliminary data.
Kazavetia Prison: Undetermined number (1 under detailed monitoring) – Documented minor case.

1.4 Judicial Statistics:

A. Types of Charges:

1. Illegal transport of third county national who don’t have the right to enter Greek territory, with profit,from with danger.
2. Illegal entry.
Assisting in migration operations.
Charges of GPS (human smuggling).

B. Prisoners’ Defenses:

– Exception because he is an asylum seeker and a refugee, aligning with UN standards for people who didn’t directly come from a safe country. If the intent is to seek safety, operations done under coercion shouldn’t be taken into consideration.

– State of emergency: human life protection is greater than border control.

-Supportive: accused of holding the GPS, does not fulfil the constitutive elements of the crime.

– Speaking English can sometimes be a crime; communicating with a rescue boat can incriminate you and classify you as an accomplice in smuggling.

-The written testimonies should not be taken into consideration because the witnesses were not called to testify. Potential conviction will be based on a few, brief testimonies of witnesses who were not called to testify. If these testimonies form the basis of a conviction, then this would not be a fair trial and would be in violation of art. 6 ECHR , Witnesses disappear to court; we have not documented the presence of any witness against the defendants in any of the trials. The judge only accepts the statements taken by the police.

– Commitment of the act under threat

– International waters

– Reasonable doubt

If case of guilt consider the mitigating factors:

young age (133)

Prior lawful life

Good behavior after the act

1.5 Trial dates which we monitored (there were trials which we were not aware of and no one attended)

June:

June 18.06, Chania court

6 cases, 10 defendants.

1 private lawyer.

9 state lawyers.

9 plea deals, one 10 years filakisi.

July:

July 7 and July 16, Chania court

13 cases, 30 defendants (5 cases postponed to July 16 trial).

Two private lawyers ( one from NGO ) the rest had state lawyers.

One mistrial referred to juvenile court.

25 plea deals of 10 years without the right for appeal.

3 sentenced to 10 years filakisi.

One was sentenced to 25 years katheirxi.

September:

September 1 ,Chania court

25 cases, 36 defendants.

Cases of 32 defendants postponed to November 19, December 17 and January 12.

4 made a plea deal for 10 years.

September 3, Herakleion court

9 cases, 14 defendants.

3 had a private lawyer (one from NGO).

1 case postponement (3 defendants).

4 acquittals (exemption due to Geneva convention).

3 took a plea deal.

2 were sentenced to 25 years katheirxi.

2 were sentenced to 10 years filakisi.

September 22 , Chania court

5 cases, 13 defendants.

3 private lawyers and the rest were state appointed.

10 signed a court agreement for 10 years in prison.

3 were sentenced to 10 years filakisi with the right for appeal.

October:

October 6, Chania court

7 cases ,14 defendants.

2 private lawyers.

12 state lawyers.

5 postponed.

6 plea deal.

2 sentenced in 10 years filakisi.

1 acquitted cause of reasonable doubt.

November:

November 3, Chania court

12 cases, 16 defendants.

Only 2 had private lawyers and the rest had state lawyers.

12 defendants were sentenced to 10 years filakisi with the right for appeal.

One was sentenced to 25 years with the right for appeal.

3 plea deal agreement for 10 years in prison.

(notes :

Two rejections of inappropriate court due to age

both claimed to be 17 years old).

November 19 , Chania court

16 cases, 23 defendants from which 7 cases and 8 defendants were postponed for 24/11.

Only 4 had private lawyers (one from NGO.

4 acquittals (the three because of doubt, one because of emergency).

5 signed a court agreement for 10 years in prison.

5 were sentenced to 10 years filakisi.

One mistrial referred to juvenile court.

(notes: one birth certificate was rejected , estimated age 16 years old).

November 24 , Chania court

7 cases , 8 defendants.

2 private lawyers.

6 state appointed.

One postponed to bring witness.

One acquitted.

6 sentenced to 10 years.

(notes: two were rejected of claiming to be minors

One 15 years old

One 16 years old).

December:

December 1, Heraklion Court

3 cases, 5 defendants.

Two private lawyers, the rest state appointed.

All cases were postponed.

December 1, Chania court

14 cases, 19 defendants.

One had a private lawyer and the rest were state appointed.

One case with two defendants postponed to bring a witness.

One mistrial referred to juvenile court.

2 made a plea deal arrangement for ten years.

4 sentenced in 25 years katheirxi.

10 sentenced in 10 years filakisi.

(notes: three rejections of claim of being minors

Two 15 years old

One 16 years old).

December 4, Herakleion court:

5 cases, 16 defendants.

Only 3 defendants had a private lawyer; the rest were state appointed.

7 defendants were sentenced to 25 years.

The rest were postponed.

December 10, Herakleion court

7 cases, 12 defendants.

10 defendants sentenced 10 years filakisi.

One sentenced in 25 years katheirxi .

One acquitted.

December 11, Herakleion court:

10 cases, 18 defendants.

Only one person had a private lawyer and the rest had state lawyers.

10 were sentenced to 10 years.

One person was acquitted.

One person was sentenced to 25 years.

The rest were postponed.

December 17 and 29 , Chania court

21 cases, 31 defendants (10 cases, 17 defendants postponed until 29/12).

Only 7 defendants had private lawyers and the rest had state lawyers who were appointed 5 minutes before the trial.

2 made a plea deal agreement for ten years.

25 were sentenced in 10 years filakisi.

4 were sentenced to 25 years katheirxi.

(Five rejections of inappropriate court because of age

One 15 years old

One 16 years old

Three 17 years old

One had an estimated age report approved from the Sudanese embassy and still was rejected).

Chania (18/06-29/12)

12 hearings.

96 cases.

168 defendants.

8 postponed for calling witness.

3 mistrial referred to juvenile court.

6 acquitted.

67 plea deal agreement for 10 years.

74 sentenced to 10 years filakisi with the right for appeal.

10 sentenced to 25 years katheirxi with the right for appeal .

Herakleion(03/09-11/12)

5 hearings.

31 cases , 60 defendants.

6 acquitted.

4 plea deal agreement.

22 sentenced to 10 years filakisi.

11 were sentenced to 25 years katheirxi.

18 postponed.

Total number

127 cases, 228 defendants.

12 acquitted.

70 plea deal agreement with 10 years.

96 were sentenced to 10 years filakisi with the right for appeal.

21 were sentenced to 25 years katheirxi with the right for appeal.

26 postponed.

3 mistrial referred to juvenile court.

Secondly: Systematic Violations and Legal Challenges

2.1 The Issue of the Unjust “Court Agreement”:

Description:

Prisoners sign agreements (plea deal) without fully understanding their contents.
The agreement is presented as a “quick solution” without explaining the consequences.

Hidden Content:

Admission that the prisoner is a “smuggler” who took money for transportation.
Registration of the prisoner as an official smuggler in legal records.

Devastating Consequences:

Loss of asylum rights: Deprivation from applying for asylum.
Loss of appeal rights: Inability to challenge the verdict.
Superficially reduced penalty: 10 years instead of 25, but with permanent consequences.
Impact on criminal record: Registration as a “professional smuggler”.

Documented Statistics

100% of those who signed the court agreement lost their right to appeal.

2.2 Court Violations and the Legal Translation System:

Systematic Practices:

Not using microphones inside the courtroom, making it difficult to hear the trial properly.
Absence of accredited legal translators.
Use of a prisoner translator shackled from within the prison (documented June 18 , July 9 and September)
Use of a policeman as translator from English to Greek.
Reliance on translators who speak Arabic but cannot read or write it (documented November 3, Chania).
Selective translation serves only the court’s interests.
The defendants not understanding the procedure and their rights.
The state appointed lawyers having 5 minutes to prepare for the hearing.
A big number of cases in the same day (eg. 01/12 were 21 cases with 31 defendants) causing confusion and disorder.
Some defendants were not informed correctly about their right of appeal, what it is and the need to apply within 10 days.
Unjust and illogical verdicts (documented a 1360-year sentence for a defendant in Heraklion Court on December 4, a 335-year sentence in Chania Court on December 1).
The exorbitant financial sums that defendants must pay to obtain a trial, ranging between 1500 to 2500 euros in the first trial and 1800 to 3000 euros in the appeal court, knowing that court fees alone are not less than 1000 euros per trial.

Impact on Justice:

Hearings do not exceed 10 minutes, and a hearing was documented in Chania Court where the judge cut it short and sentenced the defendant to 10 years (July to December).
Judges’ unwillingness to listen to the defendants’ stories or allow them to reveal physical violations they were subjected to in Libya (documented from July to December).
Judges interrupting defendants and not allowing them to complete their statements during hearings inside the courtroom (documented November 3 – Chania Court).
Inability to apply for asylum inside the prison (documented in Volos Prison until the writing of this report).
Very short trials not exceeding minutes with issuing high sentences exceeding 10 years in Chania and Heraklion courts (4 minutes and 7 minutes in Chania, November 24).
Pre-trial detention for at least 6 months and sometimes for a year until trial dates are set.
Prisoners’ inability to understand legal procedures.
Inability to present a complete defense.
Signing documents without understanding their contents.
Deprivation of effective legal communication.

2.3 Violations in Age Verification and Treatment of Minors:

Flawed Mechanism:

Rejection of official Sudanese birth documents (documented November 19, November 24, December 1, December 29- Chania Court with 10-year sentences).
Reliance solely on wrist examination for age verification (insufficient and inaccurate method). The wrist exam for age verification that Greece prioritises has been discontinued by Australia because it was found to be so inaccurate.
Disregard for evidentiary documents supported by evidence.
15 years old: 4 documented case (actual birth year 2010 registered with a different age, some had copy of birth certificate).
16 years old: 4 documented cases from previous trials.
17 years old: 5 documented cases.

Documented Cases:

16-year-old minor: Tried as an adult after rejection of birth documents (November 24).
15-year-old minor: Registered with a different age in the system.
17-year-old minor: Released in Crete without means of communication.
Multiple cases: Without appropriate legal representation for minors.

2.4 Problems with Legal Representation:

The Passive Role of State-Appointed Lawyers:

First and only meeting held only inside the courtroom.
Presentation limited to signing the “court agreement”.
No explanation of long-term consequences.
No discussion of legal alternatives.
No clarification about loss of asylum and appeal rights.
Pressuring defendants to accept the court agreement.

2.5 Post-Release Violations:

Documented Case:

17-year-old minor: Released on the island of Crete.
Phone confiscation: Deprivation of the only means of communication.
No alternatives provided: Left without any means of communication or support.
Communication cut off: From family and support networks.
Detention after acquittal: Documentation of 4 cases detained in police stations and detention centers for 3 months after being acquitted by the judge (September – December – Heraklion Court).
Police deliberately not issuing the release documents so when people go to access housing and asylum services they face more delays. We have seen this in several cases.
In one case the police created two different case numbers with the wrong photo on one of the case files. The photo they put on this document was completely different to how the man looked. This created a lot of problems when the individual applied for his red card at IOM.

General Practice:

Exploiting prisoners as laborers on farms without any wages, only exploiting them by counting a day’s work as three days inside the prison, Chania Agricultural Prison.
Not allowing personal visits from friends and acquaintances (documented in May in Avlona Prison). They also refused access to friends on17th Dec. in Chania. And on 29th Dec. refused the wife of one of the prisoners who’d travelled from Athens.
Systematic confiscation of phones which are not returned to their owners on release.
Failure to provide alternative communication methods in emergencies.
Severance of family and social ties.
Volos Prison doesn’t allow phone calls to Sudan (it allows them to Libya and Egypt and other countries). Their families don’t know if their loved ones are still alive or what happened to them.
Overt racist comments by prison officers and police to several individuals.

Thirdly: Health, Humanitarian Conditions, and Protests

3.1 Documented Health Problems:

Kidney diseases and schistosomiasis (advanced cases) documented in Chania Prison (October).
Chronic stomach problems (with medication withheld) documented in Chania Prison (October).
Skin allergies due to poor hygiene conditions, distributing soap every two to three months (documented in Chania Prison in October).
Ear problems without medical care, documented in Chania Prison in October.

Humanitarian Conditions:

Distributing food once a day and sometimes distributing pork to prisoners, depriving them of food for two days (documented in Avlona Prison – September).
In Volos Prison they are fed once a day.
There’s no access to mental health care for survivors of torture. In fact they are tortured again in prison. Excessive pre-trial detention, inadequate food, overcrowding in cells, random acts of violence by other inmates and prison officers – one young person was held in solitary confinement for seven days. Solitary confinement should never be used for children or people already who’ve suffered severe trauma.

3.2 Protests and Strikes:

October 2025 strike: 6 people for 6 days.
Demands: Transfer to prisons closer to families, health supplies.
Result: False promises of transfer, then deception.

Fourthly: Conclusion and Final Analysis

Analysis:
These violations represent a systematic mechanism specifically targeting Sudanese prisoners in Greece and violating the Geneva Conventions, where:

Deprivation of basic rights to a fair trial.
Establishment of permanent legal dependency through the “court agreement”.
Complete absence of international legal safeguards.
Entrenchment of legal and humanitarian marginalization.

Long-term Impact:

An entire generation of Sudanese youth imprisoned or deprived of rights.
Severance of family and social connections.
Hindrance of community reintegration.
Fueling negative sentiments towards the judicial system.

The cruel and inhumane treatment of the courts, police and prisons prevents any sense of safety, compounding trauma already experienced in their home country and in seeking asylum. It is deliberately designed to punish refugees and to further EU border policies built on racism, exploitation of the Global South and a pandering to fascist populism across Europe.

Instead of putting money into accommodation and support for refugees, Greece is building eight new prisons with 6,800 new detention spaces, including a new prison in the Agia area of Chania (capacity 550 cells) and in Neapoli, Lasithi (210 cells). Their long-term plan is to escalate the violence of the legal system against people seeking asylum in Europe.

It’s important to add that the cases noted here are just those we know about. There are many people about whom we don’t know their stories or how they are being treated.

Report Issue Date: January 15, 2026
Data Sources: Direct communication with prisoners, legal monitoring, trial documentation, communication with families.
Prepared by: 50 out of many & Mataris Sudan Solidarity Committee

Reference :