Filenews 5 January 2023
Seventy arrest warrants have been issued by the Police in total for the recent incidents at the Pournara First Reception Centre in Kokkinotrimithia, of which 39 were executed.
The incidents had erupted on October 21 last, when residents and people outside the Centre caused extensive damage, setting fire to about 15 tents and breaking equipment. Groups of African migrants collided with sticks, knives and clubs, resulting in injuries and the need for the Police to intervene catalytically to disperse them. At the sight of the extensive damage, the Minister of Interior Nikos Nouris, who visited the Center the next day, gave instructions for identification through the closed surveillance circuits of the rioters and their arrest.
In this way, Mr. Nouris wanted to send the message to those who cause such problems, "because they cannot be accommodated in one country, under any circumstances and be constantly called upon to resolve differences between different nationalities". He added that when knives and cleavers circulate, obviously those who caused the incidents must be identified and punished. In fact, Mr. Nouris had given instructions that those found to have participated in the incidents should be immediately deported.
The Police after the incidents began investigations and according to its spokesman Christos Andreou, identified 70 migrants as participating in the incidents against whom it issued arrest warrants. Since then, they have managed to locate the 39 who were arrested, while the rest are being sought. According to Mr. Andreou, 21 of the 39 arrested rioters have already been deported to their countries after the issuance of relevant warrants, while for the remaining 18 who are detained, the procedures are being carried out as they are also deported to their country.
After the incidents, an evaluation of the measures taken at the site was made and it was decided to speed up the completion of the new fencing, a project with a cost of €1.2 million, which was scheduled to be completed next March, in order to have double fencing at the Centre. The projects are already at an advanced stage. This will prevent migrants from entering the camp and carrying illegal objects. The phenomenon of exploitation was also observed, since some sold goods to others.
