Greece
20.09.01
Urgent Interventions
Greece: arbitrary arrest, detention and torture of Romas
Case GRC 190901
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Greece.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source, of the arbitrary arrest and detention of four Romas and the torture of two of their number in Argostoli, Greece.
According to the information received, on Saturday August 4th 2001, four relatives: Nikos Theodoropoulos, aged 18, Nikos Theodoropoulos, George Theodoropoulos and Vasilis Theodoropoulos, who are Romas, were walking near the kiosk run by Panagis Pefanis. Mr Pefanis informed them that a theft had been perpetrated in his shop, and that a big sum of money had been stolen. The Romas then called the police, but when the officers arrived, they arrested the Roma as if they were those responsible.
According to the information received, once they had arrived at the police station, Police Commander Mr. Choraitis took Nikos Theodoropoulos into a room, and, along with another police officer, began to interrogate Mr. Theodoropoulos about the theft. Our sources report that they wanted him to confess to having stolen the money from the kiosk. Since he refused, they both started beating him, punching and slapping his face, stepping with their boots on his nearly naked feet.
According to our sources, they then let him sleep for a while, but woke him up at 4 in the morning in order to record an official deposition. Nikos Theodoropoulos once again refused to incriminate himself, and announced his decison to wait for his lawyer to be present before making an official statement, which lead to him once again being beaten. After having been subjected to further beatings, Nikos Theodoropoulos finally agreed to sign a false deposition, in which it is claimed that he confessed the theft in question. The other indivudual named Nikos Theodoropoulos was also reportedly beaten.
According to our sources, the trial took place the following Monday, August 6th 2001. The judge took into consideration the Romas’ version of the facts, in which they explained that the confessions were false and had been forced out of them through the use torture. Nikos Theodoropoulos and his relatives were acquitted.
The next day, on September 7th 2001, Nikos Theodoropoulos was again arrested, this time for driving without a license, and was released shortly afterwards, with the court hearing set for October 14th 2001. At the time of this arrest, the police officer reportedly threatened Nikos Theodoropoulos and his family.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT is gravely concerned about the arbitrary arrests of the afore-mentioned persons and the use of beatings, which amount to torture, that are carried out by the Greek police. More generally, OMCT is gravely concerned about the Greek police’ systematic use of arbitrary arrests, beatings, threats and discrimination against Roma persons.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Greece urging them to:
i. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events, most notably the beatings during detention, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
ii. put an immediate end to the persecution and harassment of the above-mentioned persons;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Constantine Simitis, Prime Minister, Prime Minister's Office at the Hellenic Parliament: +30-1-6717732, 831, Greek Parliament Bldg., Constitution Square, Athens, Greece fax 7241776
· Vaso Papadreou, Minister of the interior, Ministry of the Interior, Stadiou 27str., Athens 101 83, Tel: 3223521-9, 3235610-19 fax 3233218
· Michalis Stathopoulos, Minister of Justice, Mesogeion 96, Athens 115 27, Tel.: 7711019 fax 7755835
· Michalis Chrysohoidis, Minister of Public Order, P. Kanellopoulou 4, 115 27 Athens, Fax: 6917944
Please also write to the embassies of Greece in your respective country.
Geneva, septembre 19, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
The International Secretariat of OMCT requests your URGENT intervention in the following situation in Greece.
Brief description of the situation
The International Secretariat of OMCT has been informed by a reliable source, of the arbitrary arrest and detention of four Romas and the torture of two of their number in Argostoli, Greece.
According to the information received, on Saturday August 4th 2001, four relatives: Nikos Theodoropoulos, aged 18, Nikos Theodoropoulos, George Theodoropoulos and Vasilis Theodoropoulos, who are Romas, were walking near the kiosk run by Panagis Pefanis. Mr Pefanis informed them that a theft had been perpetrated in his shop, and that a big sum of money had been stolen. The Romas then called the police, but when the officers arrived, they arrested the Roma as if they were those responsible.
According to the information received, once they had arrived at the police station, Police Commander Mr. Choraitis took Nikos Theodoropoulos into a room, and, along with another police officer, began to interrogate Mr. Theodoropoulos about the theft. Our sources report that they wanted him to confess to having stolen the money from the kiosk. Since he refused, they both started beating him, punching and slapping his face, stepping with their boots on his nearly naked feet.
According to our sources, they then let him sleep for a while, but woke him up at 4 in the morning in order to record an official deposition. Nikos Theodoropoulos once again refused to incriminate himself, and announced his decison to wait for his lawyer to be present before making an official statement, which lead to him once again being beaten. After having been subjected to further beatings, Nikos Theodoropoulos finally agreed to sign a false deposition, in which it is claimed that he confessed the theft in question. The other indivudual named Nikos Theodoropoulos was also reportedly beaten.
According to our sources, the trial took place the following Monday, August 6th 2001. The judge took into consideration the Romas’ version of the facts, in which they explained that the confessions were false and had been forced out of them through the use torture. Nikos Theodoropoulos and his relatives were acquitted.
The next day, on September 7th 2001, Nikos Theodoropoulos was again arrested, this time for driving without a license, and was released shortly afterwards, with the court hearing set for October 14th 2001. At the time of this arrest, the police officer reportedly threatened Nikos Theodoropoulos and his family.
The International Secretariat of the OMCT is gravely concerned about the arbitrary arrests of the afore-mentioned persons and the use of beatings, which amount to torture, that are carried out by the Greek police. More generally, OMCT is gravely concerned about the Greek police’ systematic use of arbitrary arrests, beatings, threats and discrimination against Roma persons.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Greece urging them to:
i. order a thorough and impartial investigation into the circumstances of these events, most notably the beatings during detention, in order to identify those responsible, bring them to trial and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions as provided by law;
ii. put an immediate end to the persecution and harassment of the above-mentioned persons;
iii. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with national laws and international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Constantine Simitis, Prime Minister, Prime Minister's Office at the Hellenic Parliament: +30-1-6717732, 831, Greek Parliament Bldg., Constitution Square, Athens, Greece fax 7241776
· Vaso Papadreou, Minister of the interior, Ministry of the Interior, Stadiou 27str., Athens 101 83, Tel: 3223521-9, 3235610-19 fax 3233218
· Michalis Stathopoulos, Minister of Justice, Mesogeion 96, Athens 115 27, Tel.: 7711019 fax 7755835
· Michalis Chrysohoidis, Minister of Public Order, P. Kanellopoulou 4, 115 27 Athens, Fax: 6917944
Please also write to the embassies of Greece in your respective country.
Geneva, septembre 19, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.