True Left

There must be accountability for all who have initiated violence against refugees:

https://www.yahoo.com/news/syria-rights-group-urges-intl-142956093.html

BEIRUT (AP) — A Washington-based Syrian rights group filed a case with the International Criminal Court on Thursday, calling for an investigation into alleged crimes against humanity by Greece for its mistreatment of refugees.

The Syria Justice and Accountability Center said witness testimony and video evidence back its claims of mistreatment and abuse of refugees at Greece's borders and inside overcrowded camps. It cites instances of security guards using tear gas to disperse refugee protests, and shabby and unhealthy conditions at the sprawling camps.

Mohammad Al-Abdallah, the group's executive director, said this was the first legal challenge to the European Union over its treatment of refugees.
...
The mistreatment documented since March 2016, the Syrian group argues, extends to Greece’s territorial waters where it has documented sabotaging of migrant boats, leaving them to drift back to sea — even pushing them back into water.

Such “pushback" incidents are considered contrary to international refugee protection agreements, which say people shouldn’t be expelled or returned to a country where their life and safety may be in danger.

The Syria Justice and Accountability Center said there is evidence that personnel from Frontex, the agency that monitors and polices migrant movements around Europe’s borders, participated in or were complicit in these abuses, which it says could amount to crimes against humanity.

Frontex is already under fire after an October investigation by media outlets said evidence in video and other public data suggests its members were “actively involved in one pushback incident at the Greek-Turkish maritime border in the Aegean Sea.”

But let us not delude ourselves that mere accusation is enough:

“We are hoping this would also influence the policy and discourse on refugees within the EU, not only in Greece,” Al-Abdallah said. “No EU country wants an accusation of crimes against humanity."

Being accused of crimes against humanity is meaningless unless followed by punishment. The harsh truth is that no EU country is afraid of an accusation of crimes against humanity unless the accuser is willing to follow up the accusation with devastating military action.