Three aid organisations are suing the Dutch state over the “disastrous consequences” of the 2016 agreement between the EU and Turkey to stop illegal migration via that country.

Amnesty International, Stichting Bootvluchteling and Defence for Children accuse the state of “infringing Dutch and international law by allowing years of inhumane circumstances on the Greek islands”.

The Netherlands chaired the EU at the time of the deal and is responsible for the violation of asylum seekers’ human rights, the organisations said.

Under the terms of the agreement, people who arrived in Greece illegally could be sent back to Turkey if their asylum request was denied. The deal was struck despite doubts about Turkey as a safe country and warnings about the failings of the Greek asylum system.

The EU paid Turkey €6 billion in 2016 and another €3 billion in 2021 to support the refugees in the country.

“As a result of this disastrous deal, tens of thousands of asylum seekers were stuck on the Greek island in horrendous circumstances, in camps and detention centres,” director of Amnesty International Netherlands Dagmar Oudshoorn said.

Eight years after the deal, not much has changed, Esther Vonk of Stichting Bootvluchtelingen said.

“The camps have been changed into heavily guarded prison-like centres. On Lesbos we see the damage done by a lack of medication, decent accommodation and support for asylum seekers and refugees on a daily basis,” Vonk said.

Apart from forcing the Netherlands to take responsibility for the consequences of the deal, the organisations also want the execution of the agreement to be brought in line with national, EU and international legislation to prevent more violations of human rights.