Rights groups have slammed a two-year deal between the European Union and Turkey that has left thousands of migrants and refugees stranded on Greek islands. Greek and international aid groups, including Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, have described the agreement as a failure by Europe to deal with the refugee issue adequately, saying that people are left trapped in often hopeless situations. The March 2016 deal aimed to halt the flow of tens of thousands of people from Turkey to nearby Greek islands, as they attempted to make their way to other European countries. The agreement stipulated that those arriving after March 20, 2016, would be held on the islands and returned to Turkey unless they successfully applied for asylum in Greece.