Gamaa Birir Mohamed Musa, a pharmacist from Sudan, lies on the floor of the exhibition hall in Agyia, Crete, with other migrants after fleeing Sudan over what he says was persecution of those working in medical trades.

Greece has suspended the processing of asylum applications from North Africa for three months after a surge in migrant numbers. Arrivals by boat from the region will be arrested and detained, conservative Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said.

Greece's three-month asylum ban for migrants from Libya and other North African countries has been condemned by the UN and rights groups.

Greek lawmakers have voted to temporarily halt asylum requests from North African migrants arriving by sea, a decision criticized by rights groups as illegal. The move follows a surge in migrants reaching Crete and marks a tightening of Greece’s migration policies under Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis’ government.

Hotspots,' originally conceived as migrant registration sites, have gradually turned into closed detention centers, such as on the island of Samos, where asylum seekers now live in isolation.

Greece is suspending asylum requests from North Africa and is considering less appealing meals in migrant camps, drawing criticism for adopting far-right tactics amid a surge in arrivals from Libya.

Greece on Thursday unveiled a series of tougher measures aimed at curbing the arrival of migrants, following an earlier announcement by Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

The coast guard noted 7,300 asylum-seekers have reached Crete and a nearby island this year, up from fewer than 5,000 in 2024. More than 2,500 arrivals have been recorded since June alone.