Seeking asylum in Europe? You may end up in jail

Greece has introduced sweeping new measures against irregular migration, passing a law that makes rejected asylum seekers liable for prison terms if they remain in the country.

The legislation, approved in Parliament this week is one of the toughest steps yet by a European Union member state and reflects the growing shift across the continent towards deterrence rather than accommodation.

The law not only imposes criminal penalties on those who stay after their applications are denied but also speeds up deportation proceedings. Supporters of the measure argue it is necessary to ease the burden on Greece’s asylum system which has been strained for years as the country became one of the main gateways for migrants arriving from the Middle East, Africa and Asia.

Critics, however, say it risks criminalising desperation and undermining basic human rights protections for people who may have nowhere else to go. Greece’s move comes amid a broader European trend of hardening borders and discouraging new arrivals.

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Several EU states are scaling back protections and increasing returns as pressure mounts to reduce irregular migration. The political debate has sharpened further as governments face domestic pushback against rising arrivals.

In the United Kingdom, authorities are also signalling a tougher approach. The Home Office has warned international students not to make false asylum claims after completing their courses in order to remain in Britain. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the government would take a strict view of such cases.

“People should not be claiming asylum at the end of a student course if nothing has changed in their home country. We need to clamp down on that kind of misuse. The asylum system is not for people who just want to extend their visas,” Cooper said.

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Taken together, the developments in Greece and the UK highlight a broader European strategy: restrict entry, accelerate deportations and penalise overstaying even if it means treating rejected asylum seekers as criminals rather than as people in need of protection.

With inputs from agencies