Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights Nils Muiznieks concerns that democracy in Greece is under threat

The report of Commissioner’s mission to Greece between 28 January and 1 February 2013 has been published. Given the increasing number of hate crimes and the controversial reticence of govern-ment, the democracy in Greece is seriously threatened, describes Muiznieks the situation on the ground in Greece. Muiznieks calls on the authorities to take urgency action in order to maintain rule of law and protect human rights throughout the country.

Muiznieks, while specifying increasing number of hate attacks targeted to migrants as a major prob-lem, pointed out a number of attacks are linked to the neo-Nazi political party “Golden Dawn” members and supporters, including Golden Dawn MPs. Muiznieks called on the Greek authorities to firmly condemn all sorts of hate speech and hate crime.

Commissioner’s report mentions Western Thrace Turkish Minority

Beside the migrants, the members of “Muslim minority of Turkish ethnic origin” were covered by the report among other victim groups of hate speech and hate crime. Muiznieks said the Muslim minority of Turkish ethnic origin in Thrace reports hate speech and hate crime directed by Golden Dawn members or supporters. As a matter of fact, Muiznieks drew attention on a report of attack to a member of the Muslim minority of Turkish ethnic origin.

The Commissioner noted anti-racism law 927/1979, which stipulates assessment of the defendant’s personality whether it fostered ethnic, racist, xenophobic hate or stems from discrimination on the ground of sex would bring about an increase on the final judgement of crime, has not been imple-mented by the courts. As a result, hate crimes have always been sentenced pro forma and the fines charged were not in deterrent nature. Commissioner backed his statements with the example of Xanthi Court judgement on charging a hate crime perpetrator, whose connection with Golden Dawn was proven, 200 € fine and 8 months of imprisonment, which has been deferred, for his at-tack to a member of the Muslim minority of Turkish ethnic origin.

Federation of Western Thrace Turks in Europe (ABTTF) had a meeting with the Commissioner on 16 November 2012 and called the Commissioner for setting up a conference with the representa-tives of the Western Thrace Turkish Minority during his visit to Greece. ABTTF’s appeal was welcomed by the Commissioner and Ms. Pervin Chairoulla, member of the Western Thrace Minor-ity University Graduates Association and Western Thrace Minority Education and Culture Foundation, expressed the problems of the minority on the occasion of Muiznieks’ mission to Greece in January 2013.

Access full report: https://wcd.coe.int/ViewDoc.jsp?Ref=CommDH(2013)6&Language=lanEnglish&Ver=
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