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ATHENS, Greece, April 4 (UPI) -- Greece began sending the first boats of deportees to Turkey as part of an EU plan to ease the mass influx of migrants into Europe. About 130 migrants -- mostly from Pakistan -- boarded ferries on the Greek island of Lesbos, arriving in Dikili, western Turkey, Frontex, the EU's border agency, told the BBC. Another ferry was scheduled to leave Chios on Monday.
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Human rights groups have attacked the arrangement partly because migrants have not been given information about the asylum process and are being sent back to Turkey because they either have not applied or their application was rejected.
As part of the deal, Syrian migrants returned to Turkey are exchanged for Syrian refugees who have made a legitimate request for asylum.
In turn, Turkey has won financial and political considerations.
CNN reported no women or children, only men were boarded onto the boats in Lesbos.
On Friday, a report by humans rights group Amnesty International said Turkey has been forcing people back to Syria, which is a violation of international law.
"In their desperation to seal their borders, EU leaders have willfully ignored the simplest of facts: Turkey is not a safe country for Syrian refugees and is getting less safe by the day," said John Dalhuisen, Amnesty International's Director for Europe and Central Asia.
