Greece denies allegations of pushbacks of asylum-seekers Xinhua 13 May 2021, 05:30 GMT+10 ATHENS, May 12 (Xinhua) -- The Greek government denied on Wednesday allegations of unprocessed returns (push-backs) of refugees and migrants at the country's sea and land borders with Turkey contained in a letter sent to Athens by Dunja Mijatovic, the Council of Europe's commissioner for human rights. According to Europe's leading human rights body, since 2017 there have been many credible allegations of asylum-seekers illegally returned to Turkey or left adrift at sea. In a letter dated May 3, Mijatovic urged the Greek authorities to stop the practice and investigate such claims. "The actions taken by the Greek authorities, at our sea borders, are being carried out in full compliance with the country's international obligations as provided for in the UNCLOS, the International Convention for Safety of Life at Sea and the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue, but also in accordance with EU (European Union) legislation," read a joint letter co-signed by Greece's Migration and Asylum Minister Notis Mitarachi, Minister of Citizen Protection Michalis Chrysochoidis and Maritime Affairs and Insular Policy Minister Giannis Plakiotakis.