Three migrants acquitted of setting fire to overcrowded refugee camp

In September 2020, a significant fire broke out at the Moria refugee camp located on the Greek island of Lesbos, resulting in a humanitarian crisis. The Moria camp, originally designed to accommodate around 3,000 individuals, experienced severe overcrowding with up to 20,000 people living in and around the facility at the time of the fire. This situation was exacerbated by restrictions imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to heightened tensions among residents. The blaze ultimately left approximately 13,000 individuals without shelter and forced many families to flee into the surrounding farmland, highlighting the dire circumstances faced by these refugees. Following the fire, six Afghan migrants were arrested in connection with the incident, and initial trials saw four of them classified as adults and sentenced to ten years in prison. However, subsequent developments revealed that three of these defendants might not have reached the age of 18 during the time of the fire. As a result, the cases of these individuals were transferred to a juvenile court for reconsideration. On appeal, the juvenile court in Mytilene found insufficient evidence to support the accusation that the three migrants had set the fire. Their lawyer, Zacharias Kesses, argued that the case against them was largely based on the testimony of a single witness and lacked substantial corroborative evidence, emphasizing failures in the justice system regarding the treatment of minors. After nearly three and a half years of imprisonment in unsuitable conditions, the three minors were acquitted, demonstrating the challenges faced by those navigating the legal system under precarious circumstances. This case underscores the broader issues surrounding the treatment of migrants and refugees in Greece, particularly in relation to the Moria camp disaster. Humanitarian groups have spotlighted the precarious living conditions and the desperate need for systemic changes to protect and support the rights of refugees who find themselves in vulnerable situations. The acquittal has raised important questions about evidence based legal processes, the handling of minors within the judicial system, and the overarching context of governmental policies affecting migrant populations. As such, the events surrounding the Moria refugee camp fire continue to resonate within discussions about migration, justice, and humanitarian responsibility.