biggest myths about the past of
the United States.
The eu says the number of
migrants entering Europe last
year hit a six year high to well
over 100,000, 50% increase over
the previous year.
But Greece has been prosecuting
the humanitarian workers that
try to save asylum-seekers at
sea.
U.N. And E.U. Says those
prosecutions are having a
chilling effect and a court case
could prolong migrants
uncertainty.
Here is our special
correspondent.
Reporter: On the Greek island of
Lese bows, this -- lesbos
encapsulates the concerns.
These volunteers face long jail
sentences for trying to save
lives.
The best-known defendant is
Sarah.
A Syrian refugee whose her
resume -- whose her was him has
been -- heroism was
immortalized for giving and
blankets.
>> There is no more room on the
boat.
Reporter: The film shows how
Sarah and her sister swam
through the night to pull
their refugee dinghy to lesbos.
>> I survived the war and I
survived the crossing and the
water and I was completely fine.
And just because of the
situation, I lost control of
myself and my mental health.
Reporter: Sarah did not attend
the hearing but her former
colleague did.
The charge she includes
espionage, forgery, people
smuggling, money laundering and
belonging to a criminal
organization.
>> Can you just described to me
what you think of the charges
against you -- against her ?
>> In a word they are farcical.
The idea that I am naïve, I am
told I should have just followed
the law.
That is what I'm doing.
What does the European
convention for human rights say,
it says lives must be protected.
I face 20 years imprisonment.
It is important that we stand up
to these kinds of prosecutions.
These are cynical prosecutions.
Reporter: Prosecutions are also
gunning for one of Greece's most
prominent human rights activists
and a fierce critic of Europe's
refugee policies.
>> The west fears refugees and
they are willing to do anything
to stop them and if the victims
are refugees, turned back
refugees, killed or drowned or
ngos being harassed, they don't
care.
Reporter: An investigation on
the islandsalmos.
This Turkish drone footage
captures the pushback as a Greek
ship casts a drift
asylum-seekers towards Turkish
territorial waters.
The Greek supreme court has
received dozens of lawsuits
about such incidents.
He has been accused of people
smuggling and forming a criminal
organization.
What do you think the Greek
authorities are trying to do to
you ?
>> The main cause is -- they
want to punish me and prevent me
from doing this kind of work and
a warning to all other
humanitarian workers to stay
away from them.
Reporter: Identical chargers
have been filed against Tommy
Olson who runs a website that
monitors refugee traffic.
Although he is based in northern
Norway, asylum-seekers
frequently ask for his have --
ask for his help while at sea.
Following a slew of
prosecutions, the U.N. And E.U.
Are calling on Greece to allow
humanitarians to work free from
fear of legal action.
The Greek location makes it a
magnet for asylum-seekers.
It's coast guard has saved
thousands of lives since refugee
crisis began in 2015 but the
government is exacerbated are
the refusal of other Europeans
to share its burdens.
At sea Greece is embroiled with
a propaganda war with Turkey.
This Greek video shows a Turkish
vessel destabilizing an
asylum-seekers raft.
Turkeys coast guard responds
with images of alleged pushback
spirit the Greek prime minister
--
>> We are intercepting votes
that come from Turkey -- boats
that come from Turkey as we have
a right to do.
This is our policy and I will
not accept anyone pointing the
finger to this government and
accusing it of inhumane
behavior.
Reporter: According to the aji
and boat report, more than
26,000 people were pushed back
by the Greek authorities in
2022.
As a result some smugglers sent
overcrowded boats from Turkey to
Italy bypassing southern Greece.
In rough seas last October a
vessel carrying 100 people
struck rocks off the -- off an
island and at least five
drowned.
Survivors were hauled up a sheer
cliff face.
Search-and-rescue volunteers
have been frightened away from
the Greek islands by
prosecutions.
But the hearing in lesbos has
done nothing to change the
climate.
Charges of spying and other
misdemeanors were shelved but
serious allegations are still
pending.
>> All we want is justice.
We want this to go to trial.
It does not seem that will
happen anytime soon.
Reporter: The nonprofits insist
they are not the pull factor
that lure migrants.
>> They are not coming to take
your jobs or your money or your
life.
They want safety.
They want to sleep in a bed and
not hear a war outside their
window.
Reporter: The key question is
how well the Greek government
respond to the U.N. And E.U.
Demands --compliance or defiance
?
And by the way, the migrants
will still keep coming risking
everything in the process.