On Monday, September 20th, 2022, as I was enduring day 46th of my 04th Hunger Strike outside the UNHCR office, I decided on going and speaking with the receptionist in order to request to speak with the UNHCR’s representative in Greece, Maria Clara Martin.

I have been left without help outside their office for so many years and currently without cash and therefore unable even to get myself safe drinking water, let alone Multivitamins, Food or other essentials needed for my survival.

At the entrance I found the door closed. They always do this when I approach the building. The receptionist was there, but didn’t come to the door to ask me what I needed. Although he was opening the door for others, but shutting it on me each time and wouldn’t even listen to me.

After some time waiting at the door, I saw one employee of the UNHCR speaking with him, the receptionist, probably to give him instructions, but he completely ignored my distress calls as I was calling on him from behind the closed doors and asking for help. This was even despite telling him that I was without water, without food, and that I was starving and need urgent help. I also told him that needed to speak with the UNHCR’s representative in Greece and that I needed to leave this country urgently. But he continued ignoring my distress calls and went straight to the elevator to go back to his office right after he was done giving instructions to the receptionist.

Meanwhile, my attempts in speaking with several of the UNHCR employees while they were entering the building also had no outcome. Because they were so very dismissive and extremely disrespectful to me that none of them even stopped to ask me what I needed. Instead, they just pushed their way through to reach the door and get inside the building without ever giving a damn about me.

At the end of the working day, they all left from the parking garage. This was to avoid being captured on the Camera while leaving the office and me asking for help.

For the next two days, I couldn’t continue those efforts. Mostly because on Wednesday it was raining and was also very cold, so instead I stayed in my shelter, wrapped myself in a blanket to avoid getting sick while on Hunger Strike and on Thursday I couldn’t do it either because I had other important things to do which were related to my immediate survival needs, hence took priority.

Although those two days were also an opportunity for the people at the UNHCR to come and speak to me at my shelter, but they never did, so on Friday I tried reaching out to them again. But same as Monday, the door was closed, with the exception that this time the receptionist was already on the Phone calling the Police by the time I got to the door.

The Police arrived very quickly and when they did, I told them the followings on many occasions, but they ignored it all.

“I need to speak with the UNHCR, please tell them now. I need to speak with the High Commissioner’s representative in Greece, Maria Clara Martin now. I need to leave this country now. I don’t have food. I don’t have water. Your country held me Hostage here for 8-years, deprived me of everything, stole everything from me and now wants to starve me to death and cover it up. I need to leave this country now.” I kept telling them, but they wouldn’t say a thing, till they eventually did, but that was only to tell me to speak to them in Greek.

“So you don’t speak English, huh! How do you communicate with foreigners in this country? When you see a foreigner on the street, how do you speak with them? In Greek?” I asked. But they didn’t respond.

Shorty after, a Police car arrived. They took my phone by force right where I was sitting in front of the UNHCR’s logo. Then they put me in handcuffs and took me to the Ambelokipi Police Station where they kept me in detention for about 5 hours before letting me go again.

But that didn't go just like this, because while in detention, they also beat me a lot. The officer on duty from the Police Station who had his gloves on specifically for this purpose, was continually slapping me in the face, kicking my legs and also pulling my hair and hitting my head to the wall while others standing by and watching. Four, Five, Six, I couldn't tell. The cell was very small, and my view was also obstructed by those in front of me. They were doing this to gain access to my phone, whether by opening it for them or giving them my Pass Code.

But I refused to have my phone opened for them. So they kept beating me, even when I told them time and time again that I was on Hunger Strike and pleaded with them to stop. But they didn’t. At some point they even said “We Will F**k You.”

But when they eventually realized I won't be opening my Phone for them, they began threatening to put me in prison and vanish my shelter as well.

They didn't even give me a bottle of water despite asking on many occasions, because I was very thirsty, my mouth was dried out and I could hardly speak.

Eventually, they let go of me after about 5 hours, but even on my way back to my shelter I had too much anxiety about whether my shelter was still there outside the UNHCR office or not. They have vanished it on 5 different occasions in the past few years, so I took their threats seriously.

Thankfully, though, it didn't take too long to find out that it was still there. Which was a great relief. I could not have imagined what could I have done if it wasn't.

So, this was it for yet another attempt in reaching out to the UNHCR Office in Athens, Greece. Even more proof that points to the fact that they have deliberately chosen the path of dragging this case on for as long as it takes till they eventually manage to starve me to death and cover it. A systematic deprivation and ultimately a targeted assassination. As if my life never mattered at all.

Hence, even more reason to be pleading with whomever concerned, especially those abroad and to ask them to act now if they can help and do something about this ongoing atrocity in Greece.

To everyone else, please spread the word, sign my online Petition now and donate if you can.

Thank you for your solidarity and support.

Yours Respectfully,

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Hostage of Europe

Anwar Nillufary

Email: anwar.nillufary@gmail.com

Mobile | WhatsApp | Signal: +30 690 683 8657

#HostageOfEurope #HumanRights #Justice #Freedom #Refugees

Published: Monday, September 26th, 2022

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