A number of asylum seekers, including Palestinian refugees, taking shelter on the Greek island of Chios have rallied outside of the Migration Agency to protest the crackdowns and hostile policies pursued by the Greek authorities against asylum-seekers.

The protesters lifted banners urging the Greek government to refrain from its oppressive measures and hard-hitting policies regarding asylum seekers’ demands for visas and humanitarian asylum.

The protesters further called on the Greek authorities to release all migrants from custody.

Recently, activists warned of the arbitrary refoulemnt decisions, rejections of asylum applications, and closure of migrant facilities by the Greek authorities in an attempt to crackdown on asylum seekers.

A few months earlier, the Greek Ministry of Citizen Protection issued a decision to evacuate all buildings housing migrant residents who have received visas or subsidiary protection cards in Greece since 2017.

The Ministry said the eviction should be carried out no later than April 2020.

The decision has resulted in dozens of families, including Palestinian refugee families, being homeless.

Activists said the move dovetails the country’s attempt to rein in the influx of migrants and overcrowdings on its islands.

Palestinian refugees who have fled war-stricken zones to Greece have been denied their rights to visas and prevented from accessing vital facilities.