“Serious violations of human rights in Greece” finds a report of the State Department – What the Ministry of Foreign Affairs responds to

In its annual report on the state of human rights worldwide, the State Department finds “serious human rights violations” in Greece, citing “cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment of detainees, migrants and asylum seekers”, with a separate reference to the case of wiretapping, the Predator and the wreck of Pylos.

The 46-page report on our country is part of the annual reports published by the US on national human rights practices “Country Reports on Human Rights Practices”. The State Department, in its report for 2023, points out that the Greek government took steps to investigate and punish officials who committed human rights violations, but adds that there are complaints from MKO and international organizations for the government’s “failure to investigate allegations of illegal refoulements of asylum seekers”.

About cases of torture and degrading treatmentthe State Department states that “the constitution and the law prohibited such practices” and notes that there are reports of mistreatment and abuse by Greek police and Coast Guard “among other members of racial and ethnic minority groups, undocumented immigrants, asylum seekers, protesters and Roma”.

What the State Department says about treatment of immigrants and refoulements

“NGOs advocated the creation of an independent government agency to investigate violence and other alleged abuses. NGOs argued that despite UN and EU reports and the January 2023 Interim Report on the Mechanism for Recording Informal Forced Returns under the National Human Rights Commission, the country had not effectively investigated allegations of refoulement. The government questioned the need for an additional investigative body. The government argued that existing safeguards were adequate, including the judicial system, the National Transparency Authority and the Fundamental Rights Officer and the Special Committee for Compliance with Fundamental Rights in the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum. NGOs and international organizations reported that authorities beat migrants and asylum seekers and confiscated identity documents, personal belongings and money. “Some reports claimed that authorities left migrants and asylum seekers stranded in the Aegean or in the land border area of ​​the Evros without access to food, water or medical care,” the report said.

The State Department, among other things, cites a report by El Pais regarding 374 incidents at the Evros border involving security forces and involving more than 20,000 people who were forced to return to the border immediately after crossing. The El Pais report claimed that security forces have seized more than two million euros, mobile phones and other valuables, noting that 92% of those turned away in 2022 said they were victims of theft.

The US State Department also refers to a report by the Border Violence Monitoring Network, a consortium of 12 NGOs across Europe, which presented findings in February based on interviews with 50 detainees in Greek pre-departure centres. 65% claimed to have experienced or witnessed violence by the Authorities, while 25% claimed that the Authorities used physical violenceincluding the use of tasers, as form of coercion or punishment.

Wiretapping and Predatot and at this year’s State Department report

Wiretapping and Predator are also a concern of this year’s State Department annual report, which cites the European Parliament’s report, according to which the Greek government used spyware against journalists, politicians and businessmen, but also exported the illegal Predator spyware to countries with bad human rights performance.

“In July, the Data Protection Authority presented evidence suggesting that in 2022 at least 92 Greek citizens were the victims of an attempt to target them with the Predator, with the Authority stating that it has no evidence to show the origin of these attempts,” the report notes, adding that the investigation is ongoing.

The State Department points out that “the constitution and law provided for freedom of expression, including for members of the press and other media, and the government generally respected that right” to add that domestic and international agencies report that journalists and media outlets face pressure not to criticize the government or expose scandals.

“Interventions and national strategies are ignored” Athens responds to the State Department’s report

“The report lists, without further investigation, NGO complaints that are not independently verified. Precisely because of this indiscriminate recording, it appears that in all countries with a developed rule of law, there are serious human rights issues,” comments the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in its announcement regarding the State Department’s report.

Athens points out, among other things, that “the opinion of the Greek state was not requested in relation to the mentioned issues”.

The statement from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs states:

“The report records, without further investigation, allegations by non-governmental organizations that are not independently audited. Precisely because of this indiscriminate recording, it appears that serious human rights issues exist in all countries with a developed rule of law. Particularly important for the integrity, reliability and objectivity of the report is the fact that the opinion of the Greek state was not sought in relation to the mentioned issues. Although the progress in relation to the protection of rights in Greece is recognized on many levels, the report ignores or completely ignores regulatory interventions and national strategies of recent years to ensure the rights of vulnerable categories of citizens, such as the disabled, LGBTQI and unaccompanied minors. Over time, the reports on Greece present similar human rights issues. Particularly in the period 2016-2019, very serious complaints were cited, which gradually disappeared. The Greek government will continue to consistently serve democracy and the rule of law in Greece, deepening the essential equality of citizens and their individual and social rights and improving their standard of living.”