Man charged with sexual abuse of four refugee minors: Greek police

A 52-year-old French man was arrested and charged with the sexual abuse of four refugee children in the city of Thessaloniki in northern Greece, local police announced on Wednesday.

The suspect had provided shelter to the minors at his home in a city suburb over the past month, according to the police. He was also charged with possession of drugs found during a raid in his home on Tuesday.

The refugee minors, aged 14-17, according to the police statement, reported the case to Greek authorities themselves.

It was not yet clear on Wednesday whether they belong to the about 2,000 unaccompanied refugee children currently living in Greece, according to UNHCR data.

According to police sources, the victims said that they had taken up on the offer of the suspect to move to his home from a nearby refugee camp with the promise of better living conditions.

It has not been clarified yet also whether the French man was living in Greece as a volunteer for humanitarian groups helping refugees, as he was presenting himself.

Almost half of the more than 62,000 refugees and migrants stranded in Greece after the closure of the Balkan route to central Europe last winter, are minors, according to Greek authorities.

Most are accommodated in state-run camps nationwide, but despite progress achieved in recent months there are still complaints regarding the living conditions in the official hospitality facilities.

NGOs have repeatedly voiced concern in particular regarding the protection of the most vulnerable groups to exploitation among the general refugee populations, such as unaccompanied minors. Endit