Human Rights Legal Project

Défense des droits

We are a legal aid organisation working in Greece to defend the fundamental rights of displaced people. We challenge the systemic and individual human rights abuses including the criminalisation of asylum seekers, pushbacks, arbitrary detention, and medical negligence by providing free legal aid.

Nos actions en cours

Qui sommes-nous ?

The Human Rights Legal Project is a legal aid organisation working in Greece to defend the fundamental rights of displaced people at the border of the European Union. 

We challenge the systemic and individual human rights abuses that fall outside of the asylum process, including the criminalisation of asylum seekers, pushbacks, arbitrary detention, and denial of access to healthcare. 

By providing free legal aid, we support displaced people to access the justice system, and realise their rights.

We use the law to hold states to account, catalyse change, and advocate for a fair, safe and dignified migration and asylum system


HRLP is located in the town of Vathy, on the Greek island of Samos. The organisation was initially founded in 2020 as a joint initiative of humanitarian workers, who were appalled at the suffering that they were witnessing, and took action to challenge the environment of impunity. Three years later, HRLP is a registered NGO, staffed by two local Greek lawyers, a Case Worker, and a Legal Coordinator, and plugged into a vast network of legal professionals and advocates across the EU. 

The situation for displaced people on the Aegean islands has grown increasingly hostile. People face numerous barriers in their search for safety, and humanitarians are criminalised for assisting. 

HRLP is committed to meeting the needs of these individual cases, while also working to rectify systemic failures.