Amnesty Int'l: Greece abuses immigrants

LONDON, Oct. 6 (UPI) -- Human rights watchdog Amnesty International has slammed the Greek government for its treatment of would-be immigrants and refugees.

In the report issued Thursday, researcher Olga Demetriou cited incidents of people being shot and asylum-seekers being detained in metal containers, the BBC reported.

Demetriou said people from Albania, Afghanistan, Iraq and Pakistan have faced extreme treatment.

"Some are shot and killed on the border, others are charged with 'illegal entry' straight away and detained without having the chance to apply for refugee protection," she wrote in the report. "The conditions of detention in particular areas of the country do not adhere to international law and standards."

The government refuted the allegations, the Greek Ekathamerini online news service said.

"We are totally opposed to the violation of human rights," said government spokesman Theodoros Roussopoulos. "Whenever there have been complaints, the relevant services have intervened."