Magnum Photos -
Greece. August 2009. Island of Samos.
Greek coast with illegal immigrants who crossed the border coming from Kusadasi on the Turkish side.
They want to arrive in Europe where they can ask for asylum and make a new life. Most of them come from Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, Eastern Europe, Algeria, Morocco or Palestine.
Here, 18 migrants are claiming they are "Afghans" in order to get the international status of refugees and protection. They are landed after being arrested in the sea greek. They will be sent to the detention center on Samos.
A police officer is writing numbers on the hands of the migrants as if they were animals.

Image Reference 
ZAC2009018G0829/0221 
(PAR374662) 
© Patrick Zachmann/Magnum Photos 
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