ATHENS, Greece — Greece is pressing ahead with plans to start deporting migrants and refugees back to Turkey next week, despite mounting concern from the United Nations and human rights organizations that Syrians could be denied proper protection while some are allegedly even being forced back into their war-torn country.
Lawmakers in Athens on Friday were due to back draft legislation, fast-tracked through parliament, to allow the returns to start as soon as Monday.
The operation would see migrants and refugees who arrived on Greek islands after March 20 put on boats and sent back to Turkey.
Several Greek officials with knowledge of the planning told the AP that deportations are likely to start from the island of Lesbos, with migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries whose asylum claims are considered inadmissible.
The transport, the officials said, will be carried out under heavy security escort — with one police minder for every migrant — using buses that will travel from island detention camps and are likely to board straight onto chartered vessels.
The officials asked not to be identified because plans for the forced returns have not been formally announced.
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