Greek authorities on Saturday accused Turkey of forcing 92 migrants to cross into Greece naked.
Greek police said officers on Friday found the totally naked migrants, “some with bodily injuries,” who had entered the country via plastic boats by crossing the Evros River, which forms a border between the two countries.
The migrants told the police and agents of Frontex, the European Union’s border agency, that they had been forced by the Turkish authorities to get into three vehicles that took them to the border. The migrants said they were forced to undress before boarding the boats.
Police said they provided clothing and food to the migrants.
“Turkey’s provocative behavior exceeded all limits,” the Greek Asylum and Migration Ministry said on Saturday.
Greek Migration Minister Notis Mitarachi posted a photo of the nude migrants on his Twitter account on Saturday, commenting in Greek and English: “Turkey’s behavior towards the 92 migrants we rescued at the borders (yesterday) is a disgrace. for civilization. We hope that Ankara will investigate the incident and once and for all protect its borders with the EU.”
Turkey regularly accuses Greece of violently pushing back migrants entering the country by land and sea, while Greece accuses Turkey of “push-ing forward” migrants to put pressure on the EU.
The migrants are mostly from Afghanistan and Syria, with a few from other countries, such as Pakistan.