Paranesti, Drama, East Macedonia

Drama Paranesti pre-removal detention centre

Status

In use

2023

Type: Immigration detention centre (Administrative)

Custodial Authority: Ministry of Public Order and Citizen Protection

Management: Ministry of Citizen Protection of Greece (Governmental)

Detains: Asylum seekers (administrative), Unaccompanied minors, Adult men, Undocumented migrants (administrative)

Capacity Reported population Conditions complaints?
300
290

1 December 2023

YES

2025

Greece

31,975

Migration Detainees

30,631

Migration Detainee Entries

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ABOUT

The Drama Paranesti pre-removal detention centre is located inside an old military base in the remote mountain village of Paranesti in the Drama region of northern Greece. It has a capacity of 300 detainees. In 2022, a total of 870 asylum seekers were reportedly detained at this facility throughout the year, including 10 unaccompanied children.


NEWS & TESTIMONY
2024

Testimony recorded by Border Violence Monitoring Network/Detention Landscapes: “'There were not enough beds and blankets and when you asked for more blankets or to wash your laundry they just ignored you. Sometimes the [...]

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FACILITY NAMES
Drama Paranesti pre-removal detention centre
Location

Country: Greece

City & Region: Paranesti, Drama, East Macedonia, Europe

Latitude, Longitude: 41.267149, 24.505285

Contact Information
660 35 Paranesti, Drama, Greece
00302524022208

MANAGEMENT & BUDGET

Center Status
Status
Year
In use
2023
In use
2022
In use
2021
In use
2020
Last documented use
2018
In use
2013
Facility type
Category
Type
Year
Administrative
Immigration detention centre
2013
Management
Management
Type
Year
Ministry of Citizen Protection of Greece
Governmental
2024
Police
Governmental
2016
Outsourced services and non-state actors
Provider
Service
Year
Médecins sans Frontières (MSF)
Health care
2013
Operating Period
Year of entry
Year ceased
2012

DETAINEES

Demographics

Unaccompanied minors

2024

Adult men

2024

Unaccompanied minors

2021

Adult men

2012
Categories of detainees

Asylum seekers (administrative)

2024

Undocumented migrants (administrative)

2024

Undocumented migrants (administrative)

2013
Countries of Origin

Country #1 Morocco

2023
At-Risk Populations

Unaccompanied children

2024

Asylum seekers

2024

SIZE & POPULATION

Capacity (specialised migration-related facility)

Type Standard capacity

Capacity 300

2023

Type Standard capacity

Capacity 300

2022

Type Standard capacity

Capacity 300

2021

Type Standard capacity

Capacity 977

2018

Type Standard capacity

Capacity 320

2013
Total Migration Detainees: Entries + Remaining from Previous Year

Number 528

2021
Reported Single-Day Migration Detainee Population at Facility (day)
Number
Date
290
1 December 2023
228
29 December 2021
359
15 December 2020
170
20 October 2016
324
2 April 2013
Number of men detained on single day
Number
Date
290
1 December 2024

LENGTH OF DETENTION

Detention Timeframe (long, medium, short)

Length Long-term (more than 20 days)

2016

OUTCOMES

CONDITIONS

Inadequate conditions
Inadequate Conditions
Obvs. Date
2025
2025
2025
2025
2025
2023
2023
2023
2023
2023

CARCERAL INDICATORS

External Security Regime

Secure

2016

STAFF

Mistreatment Reports

Yes

“The respondent reported very poor medical treatment in detention, describing it as dehumanizing and rushed (“they took us to the doctor like sheeps [...],like criminals”). He reported having observed a fellow detainee being forcibly medicated, allegedly to suppress protest behavior. Moreover, the respondent also recalled having heard about cases of violence against some detainees in the detention centre.”

2025

SEGREGATION

Legal Segregation

No

2024

CELLS

At Least Three Square Meters Per Detainee

Yes

2023
Equipped (beds, tables, shelves, chairs)

Yes

2023
Detainees Per Cell

18

2024

12

2023

COMMUNAL SPACE & ACTIVITIES

Indoor Communal Space

Yes

2023
Outdoor Space

No

2023

HEALTH

Medical Screening upon Arrival (within 48 hours)

No

2023
Doctor on Duty

No Doctor on Duty

2023
Nurse on Duty

At least once a week

2023
Psychologist Visits

At least once a week

2023
Inadequate health provisions
Inadequate Health Provisions
Obvs. Date
DoctorsPsychological care
2025
Barriers to care
Barriers to Care
Obvs. Date
Inadequate translation servicesInadequate food or water provision
2023
Reports of Injury/Physical Harm
Injury/physical harm reported
Incident/Report date
Yes
2025
Health Impacts
Health Impacts
Obvs. Date
Physical abuseSelf-harmingDepressionAnxiety/panic disorders
2025

MONITORING & ACCESS

TELECOMMUNICATIONS

Access to Personal Cell Phones

Yes (with restrictions)

2025

Yes (unrestricted)

2023

NEWS & TESTIMONY

2024

Testimony recorded by Border Violence Monitoring Network/Detention Landscapes: “'There were not enough beds and blankets and when you asked for more blankets or to wash your laundry they just ignored you. Sometimes the temperature was minus 10 so we told them we needed the blankets.'” Most described overcrowded spaces, sharing rooms with between 6-18 people, with one toilet and shower per container."(See: https://detentionlandscapes.uwazi.io/en/entity/a73yiaqhjc)