Greek government under fire after video shows ‘pushback’ of asylum seekers

Days before general election, footage emerges showing ‘illegal’ deportation of refugees out of country’s border

The Greek government is facing fresh condemnation of its migration policies, days before general elections, following the release of video footage depicting the forcible expulsion of asylum seekers who had sought sanctuary in the country.

Barely 48 hours before polls open, the prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ centre-right administration has been put on the defensive by extraordinary documentation of the illegal “pushback”. The footage, taken by an Austrian activist on Lesbos last month, was brought to light by the New York Times, which published the material on Friday, after being “verified and corroborated” by the US outlet.