Athens- Greece is violating international law in its treatment of asylum seekers attempting to enter the country, New York-based Human Rights Watch said on Wednesday.

In a report titled, "Stuck in a revolving door," Human Rights Watch (HRW) claims Greek coast guard officials push migrants out of Greek territorial waters and sometimes puncture inflatable boats and disable their vessels.

Greek authorities routinely round-up would-be migrants, detains them in dirty and inhumane conditions, and then expels them to neighbouring Turkey, the group said.

According to further claims by HRW, authorities blocked asylum procedures and turned down around 98 per cent of claims.

In 2007, out of 25,000 asylum claims, Greece granted refugee status to eight people after the first interview, while the approval rate at the appeals stage was 2 per cent.

"Greece denies protection to vulnerable people and abuses them in detention," Bill Frelick, refugee policy director at HRW said in a press release.

"Until Greece cleans up its act, EU states should not send asylum seekers back there."

In April, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees also urged other EU states to not transfer asylum seekers back to Greece and should instead examine their claims themselves.

Under the EU's so-called Dublin rule, member states must send unsuccessful asylum seekers back to the country where they originally entered the bloc.

"The Dublin system traps asylum seekers in a revolving door," said Frelick. "They cannot go home because of fear of war and persecution. They are almost never given asylum in Greece."

Human Rights Watch also accused Turkish authorities of carrying out abuses at the border, including detaining the migrants in inhumane and degrading conditions and repatriating Iraqi migrants without giving them the chance to apply for asylum.

The report quoted an Iraqi Kurd from Kirkuk who was among scores interviewed by Human Rights Watch, who made five attempts to cross from Turkey to Greece and was beaten and expelled from Greece. He was also beaten and detained by the Turkish authorities.

"Every day I think I made a mistake to leave my country," he said, adding "I would be killed if I go back. But they treat you like a dog here. I have nothing." (dpa)