Access at the land border
Irregular arrivals are often reported in Van, Ağrı, Hakkari, and Erzurum in the east, and Muğla, Aydın, İzmir, Çanakkale, Edirne, and İstanbul in the west.
According to PMM staistics, the number of irregular migrants decreased in 2024, from 254,008 to 225,831, one of the main reasons mentioned by authorities is increased border controls. The percentage of Afghans among those considered as irregular migrants increased from 27% to 29% in 2024, and Afghanistan remains the top nationality of persons apprehended for irregular migration in 2024 with 65,815 Afghan nationals, and until 8 May 2025, with 16,268 Afghan nationals. As in the previous year, in 2024, Syrians are the second highest nationality among those registered as irregular migrants (50,641). The other main nationalities are Egypt, Palestinian, Turkmenistan, Morocco, Uzbekistan, Iraq and Iran. This represents a slight decrease in the total number of irregular migrants apprehended from 2023, it is still far from 2019 (454,662) which had seen the highest number since records began.[1] According to the statement of Interior Minister, 202,705irregular migrants were prevented from entering the borders, between 4 June 2023 and 5 August 2024.[2]
There has been some dialogue or cooperation in certain areas with Frontex,[3] such as risk management, training, capacity building on fundamental rights, monitoring, SAR, and exchange of experience and knowledge.[4]
In 2024, applying for international protection remained problematic for irregular migrants who faced pushback. Another worrying trend is increased number of crossing attempt of migrants who have status in Türkiye.[5] Registered migrants attempting to cross lose their rights in Türkiye due to the inactivation of their IDs.
Eastern Borders
Türkiye constructed a wall on its Iranian border in 2018-2019.[6] The wall includes trenches and fences, with an increasing number of watchtowers and surveillance technologies such as unmanned aerial vehicles. In 2023, a wall of 1160 kilometres, corresponding to 80 percent of the borders of Iran and Syria, and a 1234-kilometer patrol road have been completed, and the work on the remaining 20 percent continues. 341 electro-optic towers, 250 of which are on eastern borders were established, serving with high technological capacity along the borders, which allows monitoring 740 km of the Eastern border. In addition, 284 thermal cameras, 151 elevator towers, 139 armoured surveillance vehicles, and seismic sensor systems were used in the borders.[7] Based on the profiles of groups arriving in Türkiye, it is estimated that most of these interceptions are from the Iranian border and the interceptions on the Syrian border continue to be small numbers as per the apprehension numbers published by the Turkish authorities.[8] There is no official information about how many migrants are affected regarding their nationality and which border.
In a statement delivered in December 2024, Interior Minister Ali Yerlikaya reported that a 78-kilometer segment of the Iranian border remains unsecured, with plans to complete securing the border by the end of 2025 through an investment of 10 billion Turkish liras. He noted that there are currently no remaining gaps along the borders with Syria or Iraq. According to the same statement, 230,438 individuals were prevented from irregular border crossings during the current cabinet’s term, while, 212,910 persons were deported in the same period. The Minister also reported that 131,000 deportations were carried out in 2023, with a target exceeding, 140,000 set for 2024.[9]
The presence of the wall has led to crossings shifting to more dangerous, rugged, and mountainous routes or taking place during winter months when the snow level is elevated. This situation increases the risk to people’s lives by forcing them to cross more hazardous routes. As a result, migrants and smugglers favour steep and risky paths with no gendarmerie or police oversight[10].
Increasing numbers of arrivals through the Iranian border have led to restrictive measures and arbitrary detention and deportation practices (see Place of Detention), with mainly single Afghan men being issued deportation (“T1”) forms,[11] or being pushed back without being provided any official form.[12] The “T1” forms are usually issued following administrative detention in a Removal Centre or at a police station, and are stored in the PMM electronic file management system named “Göç-Net”. If a “T1” deportation decision has been issued, the officials would unlikely aggree to put into process the person’s international application and the deportation decision can only be challenged by a judicial appeal.[13] It was claimed that some people who left Van and Ağrı Removal Centres with T1 forms were sent across the border in 2023; however, it was claimed that this practice was temporary.[14]
In 2024, individuals pushed back into Iran continued to face the risk of being left stranded in the mountainous terrain between Iran and Türkiye. As in 2023, there were reported incidents of non-state armed groups operating on the Iranian side who captured migrants, subjected them to beatings and torture, and demanded ransom payments from their families. Migrants also reported mistreatment by Iranian state authorities, including being shot at and injured. There is also news that may be related to the chain refoulement of these individuals.[15]
Afghan nationals, in particular, were reported to face significant discrimination upon return to Iran, according to several stakeholders. Due to the fear of such treatment, many Afghan migrants repeatedly attempt to cross back into Türkiye, despite the life-threatening risks involved. Smugglers reportedly accept a single payment for multiple crossing attempts, facilitating continued migration efforts. Upon arrival in Türkiye, many of these individuals attempt to reach western cities.[16]
Some of people who cross the border, including families, women, and children, are sent to removal centres, and the majority are pushed back to Iran[17]. In some cases, they may be held for 3-4 months before being subjected to pushback without being taken directly to removal centres. As in 2023, reports continued reports in 2024 indicating that Afghan migrants were being transferred from towns near the land border with Greece to areas along the Iranian border. According to the stakeholders, Afghan nationals who sought to register for international protection in western cities were, in some cases, informed that registration would only be possible if they consented to relocation to provinces adjacent to the Iranian border.[18] (See access to registration). There are no clear or individual assessments, including for UAMs, regarding who will be transferred to removal centres, and the migrants are often not informed about their rights. It is important to note that among the groups crossing the border, there were unaccompanied minors aged from 12 to 17. There were some incidents that the records show that migrants are released after being held in removal centres, but they might be pushed back to Iran. It is very hard to follow the location of people and almost impossible to have any proof of the pushback.[19]
Another common pushback method occurs within cities. In Van, it is reported[20] that undocumented Afghans caught in the city or while traveling to western parts are detained at police stations for up to a few days without official registration. They are then carried back to the Iranian border, despite this practice being illegal under domestic and international law. Such pushbacks, especially in Van, Iğdır, Erzurum, and Ağrı, create unofficial borders within cities guarded by checkpoints. In February 2024, an Afghan national who had lodged an application for international protection was reportedly apprehended and unlawfully returned to Iran, without the implementation of a formal deportation procedure. The individual was allegedly had detained after requesting a change in their registered province, and was held —alongside others—city.in unofficial detention facilities rather than formal removal centers. The group was subsequently transported to the border and compelled to cross into Iranian territory by armed Turkish officials. A formal complaint was filled regarding the incident; however, the relevant Governorship declined to grant authorization denied for an investigation.[21]
While crossings have decreased during the summer months due to the wall and heightened border measures, migrants often travel through mountains and over high cliffs, particularly in the winter season or on foggy summer days. Due to harsh cold, blizzards, avalanches, frostbite, and accidents, each year people lose their lives during this dangerous journey, and many are injured by loss of limb due to hypothermia or frostbite[22]. Usually, detection is made by drones, due to the high level of snow during winter times. In an incident that occurred in March 2023,[23] 17 irregular immigrants suffered frostbite and were hospitalised. During the 6 months of the winter period of 2023-2024, there have been 8 separate incident reports, including babies, children, and women due to weather conditions.[24] On 15 November 2024, the bodies of three individuals — a man, a woman, and a child — were found near the border, lacking any form of identification. They were believed to have died from hypothermia, and their bodies bore evidence of damage caused by wild animals. In early 2025, another individual suffering from hypothermia was rescued, in addition to two others who had been saved in previous incidents.[25] Stakeholders expressed concern that these cases represent only a small proportion of similar occurrences. According to their accounts, many such incidents remain unreported, as authorities often refrain from disclosing them unless prompted by interventions from civil society actors, including NGOs and bar associations.
With the completion of the wall of a height of 3.5 m on the southeastern border with Syria, monitored 24/7 by cameras and drones, irregular crossings are limited.[26] Crossings are only allowed for individuals who require specific medical treatments and their attendants, for the duration of the treatment period.[27]
Access to the territory through the Syrian land border is discussed in detail in Temporary Protection: Admission to Territory.
Western Borders
At the beginning of 2023, Greece announced a further extension of its border fence with Türkiye to be extended by another 35 kilometers and ultimately wants the five-meter high steel fence on the Evros River (Meric) to cover most of the 192-kilometer border.[28] On the other side of the border, 91 electro-optic towers were established by Turkish authorities which allows monitoring 350 km of the western border. Edirne Governor reported irregular crossings through the land border between Greece and Türkiye have decreased by more than 95%, and Turkish authorities stopped 1,452 irregular migrants trying to cross.[29] Additionally, the Governor of Edirne announced plans to build 8.5 kilometers of border wall, which may eventually be extended along the entire border.[30] Since the improvement of the relationship and cooperation between Greece and Türkiye, mobile immigration points have been located in Edirne, and police control at the entrances and exits of the city has increased. The crossing attempts in Edirne are lower than the attempts to cross the sea. Accordingly, the Governor of Edirne stated that 78% of apprehensions have been carried out before migrants reach the border zone.[31]
In 2024, the Bulgarian-Turkish border recorded the highest reported number of pushbacks and incidents of violence against migrants among all European countries.[32] In 2024, the Bulgarian Ministry of Interior reported the prevention of 52,534 border crossings on the Bulgarian Turkish border.[33]
As in previous years, the main route of crossing has been to Greek islands, there was also another route to Italy. There have been reports of pushback in Aegean from Greece to Türkiye for several years. 11,715 migrants were pushed back off the coast of western İzmir province, which has a meandering coast stretching over 460 kilometres and close to the Greek islands.[34] İzmir was followed by other western provinces, Muğla, Çanakkale, Aydın and Balıkesir.
45 people died while crossing from the Turkish coast in the Aegean Sea.[35] According to the Aegean Boat Report, in the Aegean Sea, 508 pushback incidents were recorded in 2024, involving 14,482 women, men, and children attempting to reach in Europe[36],. While there was an increase in the number of deaths, a decrease in the number of pushback incidents was noted. Between August and October 2024, at least 167 migrants were rescued by Turkish Coast Guard units.[37] In the same year, UNHCR provided 267,713 core relief items to individuals who had been rescued, intercepted, or apprehended.[38] According to the announced figures, the number of irregular migration cases were 1,607 in 2022, 1,879 in 2023 and 2005 in 2024. The number of migrants who were rescued while attempting to cross and pushed back into Turkish territorial waters was 49,312 in 2022, 56,289 in 2023[39] and 55,467 in 2024.[40] The trend regarding the multiple crossing attempts continued in 2024. The decrease in pushback incidents may be partly attributed to the improvement in relations between the two countries. The increase in the number of irregular migration cases, along with the decrease in apprehensions, may reflect the efforts of Turkish authorities to intercept individuals before they reach the coasts. Despite the declining number of migrants and cases, the rising death toll may be linked to the increasingly aggressive measures employed by Greek forces.[41]
According to Turkish Coast Guard,[42] 484 organisers were apprehended in 2024.[43] With the amendment made to Article 79, paragraph 1 of the Turkish Penal Code in 2023, the minimum penalty for the crime has been increased from 3 years to 5 years imprisonment. It is noted that while the minimum prison sentence has been increased, there has been no changes regarding the fines.
Compared the previous years, more families, with children were trying to cross via sea. It is worrying that the number of people who have been registered in Türkiye, and lived there for longer periods increased among the people who attempted to cross to Europe in 2024.[44] This means that these people will lose their rights to access education, healthcare, employment and others, as a consequence more children will be out of school and an increasing number of people will find themselves inprecarious situations in Türkiye. Predicted reasons can be listed as, earthquakes, deepening economic crisis with a high inflation rate, discourses used in the election campaign on “sending migrants back” increased anti-refugee sentiments, and problems on accessing housing.[45] Concerns have been raised about the possible negative impact of the EU Pact on migration and asylum on asylum seekers attempting the crossing, as it is started to be heard that EU policies will be getting more restricted[46]. A report published by the Association for Solidarity with Refugees (Mülteci-Der), based on four focus group discussions conducted in 2024, identified key reasons for irregular migration, including obstacles in accessing legal documentation, healthcare services, and employment. Participants often chose this path due to a lack of stability, feeling invisible, and a sense of disappointment.[47] The top nationalities among the migrants attempting to cross the Aegean are Afghans, Syrians, and Palestinians. In 2024, there were increases in the numbers of Congolese and Pakistani and Sudanese nationals.[48] According to stakeholders, unlike in 2023, irregular border crossings in 2024 were observed throughout the entire year, rather than being limited to summer months.[49] After settling of the mobile migration points in the main crossing cities, the numbers decreased. For instance, in İzmir, mobile migration points were introduced in October 2023, and there is mobile migration vehicle moving through the main crossing points by the coast.[50] According to stakeholders, in 2024, the primary reason for the apprehension of individuals—both with and without identification—was attempting to irregularly cross Türkiye’s western border. Stakeholders observed a distinction between those trying to reach Greece and those attempting to reach Bulgaria. While attempts to reach Greece typically ended in violent pushbacks by state authorities or Frontex forces, those heading toward Bulgaria—often through forested areas—were reportedly subjected to violence by state-supported civilians, including Afghan gangs. Individuals also reported being attacked by aggressive dogs, resulting in serious injuries. Following December 2024, the number of Syrians attempting to cross the western border irregularly decreased, reportedly due to news and widespread rumours that some EU Member States had suspended the processing of asylum claims from Syrians.[51]
A 2024 study revealed that, in recent years, at least nine migrants were deliberately pushed into the sea by Greek forces. Some of them had already set foot on a Greek island.[52] Investigations have been initiated both within Greece and at the EU level[53]. During a monitoring visit, the Human Rights and Equality Institution of Türkiye interviewed a survivor of a pushback incident, who described the following: the group set out to sea at night in a boat but was intercepted at the Greek border by individuals wearing ski masks. They were taken to a forested area, then forced onto a boat and transported to the middle of the sea. There, they were subjected to physical violence, and their cash, phones, identity documents, and other personal belongings — including, in some cases, their shoes — were confiscated. Some of these items were thrown into the sea. Finally, they were abandoned in a damaged inflatable boat and left to die.[54]
The Facility for Refugees in Türkiye previously has funded a project under the first tranche for a total of EUR 80 million to strengthen the capacity of the Turkish Coast Guard to carry out search and rescue operations.[55]
Access at the airport
Airports in İstanbul (Sabiha Gökçen and İstanbul) continue to serve as a key international hub for connection flights from refugee-producing regions to European and other Western destinations for asylum. The main airport is now the new İstanbul Airport. It should be noted that visa restrictions have applied to Syrian nationals arriving from third countries by air and sea since 2016. Türkiye’s open-door policy ended with the signature of the EU-Türkiye Statement in 2016 and since then very few applications have been accepted at the borders.
According to the legal framework, the conditions for foreigners who are not allowed to enter Türkiye should not be interpreted or applied in a way that prevents them from applying for international protection. However, it is very difficult to apply for international protection at airports, and individuals are often unable to submit their applications. Similarly, to previous years, in 2024 it continues to be difficult to apply for asylum at the airport. The conditions worsened in transit zones, especially at the İstanbul Airport. In airport transit zones, for example, it is legally impossible to file for the suspension of a deportation order, as the authorities do not issue such orders on the grounds that the individuals are not considered to be “inside” the country’s borders. The only available legal remedy is to request an interim measure to secure access to a lawyer — a request that the Constitutional Court has consistently denied since 2017.
The common practice appears to be either explicitly or implicitly rejecting applications by not processing them. Finding a contact person to apply for international protection and receiving a response is particularly challenging at the airport. Even if lawyers manage to submit a file, receiving a response is unlikely. This issue remains one of the blind spots. When it is not possible to reach immigration authorities, files are not processed, effectively blocking the right to petition. Once the individual informs lawyers, NGOs, or UNHCR, these actors notify officials outside the airport and wait for them to contact the authorities inside the airport. In almost every case, the standard response is that the individual cannot be located in the transit zone and is expected to present themselves at the Provincial Directorate of Migration Management (PDMM) desk within the airport. However, when the individual attempts to do so, the same cycle tends to repeat. Despite this consistent pattern, stakeholders reported two exceptional cases in 2024 in which individuals were able to submit international protection applications and were admitted to Türkiye: one Palestinian at Istanbul Airport and one Chinese national at Sabiha Gökçen Airport.[56]
Stakeholders also reported that in 2024, at Istanbul Airport, many Sudanese applicants were denied the opportunity to submit their petitions for international protection. These individuals were not allowed to officially lodge their claims. Applicants often try to endure the harsh conditions of the transit zones, but eventually give up and depart for another country in hopes of seeking protection elsewhere.[57]
In one case, the person stayed in the transit area for 7-8 months, an international protection application was received but ultimately rejected. The meetings with lawyers take place in a publicly accessible space, without any attorney-client privacy.[58] According to stakeholders, in 2024, in the transit zone, even being officially rejected and waiting for a court decision — with the reassurance that a legal procedure had at least been initiated — became challenging.[59]
The Constitutional Court of Türkiye unanimously rejected the claim of a Cameroonian applicant, who was held in the inadmissible passenger waiting area at Istanbul Airport for about seven months after attempting to enter the country with a fake passport, that his right to liberty and security under Article 19 of the Constitution was violated. The rejection was based on the grounds that legal remedies had not been exhausted. The decision, published in the Official Gazette on 1 February 2023,[60] highlights that such detentions in airport transit zones are not considered administrative detention by authorities, as the foreigner can theoretically return to their home or a third country at any time. Consequently, no administrative detention orders are issued, and applications to review the legality of such detentions are often dismissed by judges for this reason.
The airline company which brought the protection seeker to the country covers the food and beverage expenses of that person and meets some basic needs. One stakeholder described the conditions saying people were kept in a place with no windows, no ventilation, with the lights were on 24 hours for nine months, and only cold airline sandwiches given to eat.[61]
After the application is submitted to PMM, the procedure is managed by the PDMM. According to law, they have to be accepted into the country once the application is received. In İstanbul Airport, people who have applied for international protection can stay for months in rooms provided at the airport. Those whose applications are rejected file a lawsuit against the refusal decision before the administrative court and should remain in the room until the case is concluded. This makes it almost impossible to apply. According to law, an international protection application cannot be made through a proxy. This application cannot be made at the airport due to the physical limitations of that area as it is very difficult to access. If the applicant needs to apply to the court after receiving a decision, a lawyer can meet with that person at the border at the airport.
In 2024, stakeholders confirmed that it has been still difficult to obtain permission from the airport administration for a private interview with clients. Even when a lawyer manages to meet the client, it is almost impossible to submit an international protection application at the airport.[62] Accessibility to transit zones at İstanbul airport remains a problem. Even if the person contacts an NGO or a lawyer, the transit zone administrator does not frequently inform lawyers and NGOs accurately.[63] Lawyers are not permitted to enter the transit zone to meet with migrants unless their potential clients have already received a formal decision — whether positive or negative. Otherwise, access is denied on the grounds that “there is no evidence that the mentioned person is in the airport.” Even in some cases lawyers have been advised to purchase a flight ticket to gain access to the area. There is a glass in the middle of the meeting place, where passport control occurs, and lawyers can only meet with their clients while standing in a publicly accessible space, without any attorney-client privacy. Although meeting places were planned, the meetings have been made difficult for security reasons.[64]
If the person arrives with a fake passport, they are taken to a room called ‘problematic passengers’ room. Communication with PDMMs about asylum requests is not quick. This systemic issue can lead to the extended stay of such persons in the transit zone or problematic passenger room.[65]
The report prepared by the Turkish Human Rights and Equality Institution (TİHEK)[66] in 2024 based on their unannounced visits to the Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, Muğla Dalaman and Milas Airports and Antalya Airport Transit Center, indicates overall positive improvements in the conditions at the center in the transit area. Passengers who are denied entry to Türkiye for reasons such as lack of valid travel documents, entry bans, or expired passports are directed to the Airport Working Group Directorate. Here, they are informed of the reasons for their denial and their legal rights and obligations, fingerprinted, and have their identity, country of origin, and airline recorded. Denied passengers undergo searches, with their belongings documented and stored securely. Searches are conducted by security personnel of the same gender. Accordingly, international protection applications are rarely submitted at Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Whereas, at Antalya Airport’s Transit Area, the institution conducted interviews with the international protection applicants and examined their files. While the applicants’ countries of origin are generally unknown, one case involved an Afghan national whose international protection application was rejected; this individual remained in the transit area for eight months, pending the conclusion of his judicial process. At Dalaman and Milas airports, no international protection applications were reported.
In 2024, while notary services at the nearest Removal Center (Arnavutköy) reportedly cost around 2,500 TRY, this process proved far more complicated at Istanbul Airport. A lawyer attempting to bring a notary to the airport faced repeated refusals from approximately ten notary offices. Eventually, an agreement was reached with a notary based in Kartal, on the opposite side of the city, but the visit never took place. Unlike in the past, the governor’s office at the airport now requires the original professional ID cards of the notary, their clerk, and the interpreter in advance, as part of the application process. If the request is approved, the notarial act may take place on another day. In practice, this means a lawyer must collect and hold these ID cards for several hours ahead of the appointment—an arrangement that stakeholders view as unrealistic and incompatible with the normal course of professional life.[67]
[1] PMM, Irregular migration statistics, available here.
[2] Habertürk TV- İçişleri Bakanı Ali Yerlikaya Habertürk’te soruları yanıtlıyor, 9 August 2024, available here.
[3] Yıldız, A., & Turhan, E. (2022). Entegre sınır yönetimi ve Frontex ile ilişkiler bağlamında Türkiye’nin farklılaştırılmış entegrasyonu. AB ile harici İstanbul Ticaret Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi Türkiye’nin Göç Siyaseti Özel Sayısı, 21 (Özel Sayı), 211-231. doi: 10.46928/iticusbe.1110418
[4] Information provided by a stakeholder, March 2024.
[5] Information provided by a stakeholder, April 2025.
[6] TRT, ‘Wall set to improve security along Türkiye-Iranian border’, 8 November 2018, available here
[7] PMM, December 2023, İçişleri Bakanı Ali Yerlikaya: “Düzensiz Göçmenlere ve Göçmen Kaçakçılığı Organizatörlerine Asla Geçit Vermiyoruz”, available here.
[8] Information provided by stakeholder, March – April 2024
[9] Gazete Duvar, Yerlikaya açıkladı: Türkiye’de 2 milyon 938 bin Suriyeli mülteci var, 04.12.2024, available here
[10] Information provided by stakeholder, March – April 2024.
[11] See e.g. Afghanistan Analysts Network, ‘Mass Deportations of Afghans from Türkiye: Thousands of migrants sent back in a deportation drive’, 21 June 2018, available here.
[12] Information provided by stakeholder, March – April 2024; TBB, Hukuka Aykırı Gerçekleştirilen Sınır Dışı İşlemlerine İlişkin Rapor, June 2024
[13] Information provided by a stakeholder in April 2025.
[14] Information from a stakeholder, March 2024.
[15] AP, At least 1.2 million Afghans forced to return from Iran and Pakistan this year, says UN, 28.06.2025, available here
[16] Information provided by stakeholders, March and April, 2025.
[17] Information provided by a stakeholder, March 2024.
[18] Information provided by stakeholders, March 2025.
[19] Information provided by stakeholders, March 2024.
[20] GAR Report No. 9, Actors and Mechanisms of (Non-)Reception of the Afghans in Turkey, October 2023, available here.
[21] Information provided by a stakeholder, March 2025
[22] Information from a stakeholder, March 2024.
[23] Van Barosu Faaliyet Raporu 2023, available here.
[24] Van Barosu Göç ve İltica Komisyonu (@Vaniltica) / X (twitter.com) Van ili sınır bölgesinde yaşanan donma olayları ve hak ihlallerıe ilişkin basın açıklaması. here
[25] Van Barosu Göç ve İltica Komisyonu (@Vaniltica) / X (twitter.com) available here
[26] Information provided by a stakeholder, March 2024.
[27] Ibid.
[28] Info Migrants, 23.01.2023, Greece expands border fence with Turkey and urges EU support – InfoMigrants.
[29] Daily Sabah, 18.02.2024, Türkiye’s main land border sees drop in migrants heading to Europe | Daily Sabah.
[30] Anka, Edirne Valisi Yunus Sezer: “Yunanistan sınırına 8,5 kilometre duvar yapılacak”, 04.03.2025
[31] T.C. Edirne Valiliği, 28.04.2024, Vali Sezer, “Yakalamaların yüzde 78’ini sınır hattına gelmeden gerçekleştiriyoruz”
[32] Euronews, EU borders recorded over 120,000 migrant pushbacks in 2024, says report by NGOs.
[33] Pushed, Beaten, Left To Die European Pushback Report 2024, February 2025 available here
[34] Daily Sabah, 18.02.2024, Türkiye’s main land border sees drop in migrants heading to Europe | Daily Sabah
[35] Dipnot, 2024’te Düzensiz Göçle Mücadelede Öne Çıkan Veriler, 2 Juanuary 2025.
[36] Annual report for 2023 from Aegean Boat Report, available here.
[37] Daily Sabah, Turkish coast guard rescues 23 migrants pushed back by Greece, 05.08.2024, available here; Daily Sabah, 116 migrants pushed into Turkish waters by Greece rescued, 20.08.2024, available here; Daily Sabah, Turkish coast guard rescues 28 migrants after Greek pushback, 14.10.2024, available here
[38] UNHCR, UNHCR in the Aegean and Mediterranean Coastal Region Factsheet – UNHCR Türkiye January 2025, available here
[39] IHA, 30.12.2023, 2023’te bin 879 düzensiz göç olayı yaşandı, available here.
[40] Daily Sabah, Turkish coast guard catches over 55,000 irregular migrants in 2024, 02.01.2025, available here
[41] Info Migrants, Greek coast guard denies allegations of illegal pushbacks, 23 July 2024.
[42] Sahil Güvenlik Dergisi Ekim Sayısı, October 2023, available here.
[43] Dipnot, 2024’te Düzensiz Göçle Mücadelede Öne Çıkan Veriler, 2 January 2025.
[44] Information provided by stakeholders, April 2025.
[45] Information provided by stakeholders, March – April 2024.
[46] Information provided by stakeholders, March – April 2024.
[47] Mülteci-Der, Belirsizlikle Başa Çıkmak: İzmir’deki Mültecilerin Karşılaştığı Zorluklar ve Deneyimler- Odak Grup Toplantılarından Elde Edilen Görüşler (Haziran-Kasım 2024), 24 January 2025, available here.
[48] Information provided by a stakeholder, March 2024 And May 2025
[49] Information provided by a stakeholder May 2025
[50] Information provided by stakeholders, March – April 2024.
[51] Information provided by multiple stakeholders, February, March and April 2025.
[52] BBC Türkçe, Görgü tanıklarına göre, Yunan sahil güvenliği göçmenleri denize atarak ölümlerine neden oldu, 17 June 2024.
[53] Bianet, Yunanistan’da ana muhalefet SYRIZA’dan mülteci ölümleriyle ilgili soruşturma talebi, 18 June 2024; Reuters, EU border agency reviewing 12 cases of potential rights violations by Greece, 8 April 2024.
[54] TİHEK, Aydın Kuşadası Sahil Güvenlik Karakol Komutanlığı Göçmen Bekleme Alanı Ziyareti Raporu, 2024/56, available here.
[55] EC, Seventh Annual Report of the Facility for Refugees in Turkey, COM (2023) 543 final, 22 September 2023, Brussels.
[56] Information provided by a stakeholder, March 2025.
[57] Ibid.
[58] Information provided by a stakeholder, March 2024.
[59] Information provided by a stakeholder, March 2025.
[60] T.C. Resmî Gazete, 01.02.2023, 1 February 2023.
[61] Information provided by a stakeholder, May 2023.
[62] Information from a stakeholder, May 2023.
[63] Information provided by a stakeholder, April 2023.
[64] Information provided by a stakeholder, March 2024.
[65] Information from a stakeholder, May 2023.
[66] Turkish Human Rights and Equality Institution Reports, 202t, Sabiha Gökçen available here, Antalya here, Dalaman here, Milas here
[67] Inormation provided by a stakeholder, May 2025.