ATHENS – As Greece is denying alleged pushbacks of refugees and migrants and the LGBTQ+ community is struggling for respect, the United Nations’ Special Rapporteur for human rights, Mary Lawlor, will assess the country’s record during a nine-day visit.

Her office said she would looking at refugee and migrant issues for those seeking asylum, activists working for women’s rights and also the environment and monitor the New Democracy government’s efforts.

“I look forward to meeting human rights activists, government representatives and other relevant stakeholders to assess the implementation of the UN Declaration on Human Rights Defenders in the country and Greece’s efforts to implement international human rights law standards relating to human rights defenders,” Lawlor added.

She planned meetings Athens and Thessaloniki and islands holding refugees and migrants in detention camps, including Lesbos, Samos and Chios and was due to meet government officials, local and international civil society representatives and representatives of international organizations during her visit.

She will give her preliminary findings on June 22 to journalists but her full report to the UN’s Human Rights Council won’t be made until March 2023, no explanation why it would take nine months to finish.