Author Archives: Tommy Olsen

Aegean Boat Report is honoured that its founder, Tommy Olsen, has been awarded the Annette Thommessen Honorary Award 2026 by NOAS. The award is given in recognition of many years of work documenting pushbacks, human rights violations and the treatment of people on the move at Europe’s borders. For more than a decade, Aegean BoatContinue reading “Annette Thommessen Honorary Award 2026”

Yesterday, the competent Norwegian Court of Appeal unanimously rejected the European Arrest Warrant issued by the Greek authorities against the founder of Aegean Boat Report, Tommy Olsen. The court concluded that the acts described by the Greek authorities do not constitute criminal offences under Norwegian law. It also found a real risk of violating ArticleContinue reading “Norway rejected the extradition request to Greece for the founder of Aegean Boat Report”

(Norwegian Version Below) The scheduled hearing in the Hålogaland Court of Appeal on April 21, 2026, in the case concerning the extradition of Aegean Boat Report founder Tommy Olsen has once again been postponed. The postponement follows a request by the prosecution to obtain guarantees from the Greek authorities that Olsen will not be subjectedContinue reading “New postponement in extradition case against Tommy Olsen – serious concerns about rule of law and human rights”

On the night of 3 February 2026, under calm seas and a waning moon just past full, an inflatable boat carrying nearly 40 people approached the Greek island of Chios. Within minutes, 15 people were dead. What happened in those final seconds before impact is now at the center of sharply conflicting accounts — andContinue reading “Chios, 3 February 2026: A Collision, Fifteen Deaths, and a Growing Web of Contradictions”

Aegean Boat Report is saddened, angered, and — unfortunately — not surprised to report the latest escalation by the Greek government in its attempts to silence our work documenting human rights violations in the Aegean Sea. Earlier today, Wednesday 11 February 2026, Aegean Boat Report founder Tommy Olsen was contacted by Norwegian police and informedContinue reading “PRESS STATEMENT — AEGEAN BOAT REPORT 11/02/2026”

The Only Eyes on the Aegean Are About to Go Dark Aegean Boat Report launches urgent fundraising campaign to keep its life-saving human rights work alive Tromsø, Norway — 17.11.2025 — After eight years of documenting human-rights violations and saving lives at sea, Aegean Boat Report (ABR), Europe’s only independent watchdog monitoring refugee movements acrossContinue reading “PRESS RELEASE”

Every week, people in distress contact Aegean Boat Report — families lost at sea, or newly arrived on land, terrified and desperate for help. When this happens, we do what we have done for years: we call the authorities — the Coast Guard, the police — to pass on information so that lives can beContinue reading “Today, We Have Written To The Mayors Of The Aegean Islands”

In the early hours of October 25, a boat carrying 34 people, including 11 small children, departed from Karaburun, Turkey. Their destination was the small Greek island of Pasas, northeast of Chios. Deep inside Greek territorial waters, their boat was spotted and intercepted by a vessel from the Greek Coast Guard. Masked men in aContinue reading “Brutally Beaten Under Greek Pushback”

In the morning of Tuesday, September 30, a boat in distress south of Lesvos—reportedly carrying 27 people, including 14 small children—contacted Aegean Boat Report for assistance. “Aegean Boat Report has been contacted by people onboard a drifting boat inside Greek waters, 7 nautical miles south of Lesvos. According to passengers, the boat is carrying 27Continue reading “What Happened South of Lesvos on Tuesday, September 30”

Distress Call at Sea On Friday, 12 September, at 22:40, Aegean Boat Report was alerted to a sailboat in distress approximately 14 nautical miles southwest of the Greek island of Tilos. According to passengers, the vessel was carrying around 80 people, including many children. The sailboat had lost engine power, was taking in water, andContinue reading “Sailboat In Distress In Greek Waters, 74 People Pushed Back In Life Rafts”