Freedom of speech is feared after the Greek judgments for slandering the Orthodox bishop
CIVIL RIGHTS groups have expressed concern about freedom of expression after a Greek court sentenced two campaigners to probation after finding them guilty of defaming an orthodox bishop.
“We are deeply concerned about that prominence human rights defenders have been convicted of making a false complaint, “Humanists International in London said in a statement.
“That they have been convicted of challenging the promotion racism and the hate speech of the religious leader and the defense of human rights and non-discrimination are deeply worrying. The decision could have far-reaching consequences for human rights defenders trying to tell the truth to power. “
Founded in the 1950s, the organization responded to the 12-month suspended prison sentences handed down to Andrea Gilbert and Panayote Dimitras, members of the Helsinki Humanist Association and the Helsinki Monitoring Committee, for making a “false complaint.” anti-Semitism and abuse of office against the Piraeus metropolitan Seraphim Mentzelopoulos.
It said both had “faced harassment and intimidation” for a long time for their human rights work, and called on the Greek authorities to overturn their sentence as a “gross error of law.”
Amnesty International condemned the verdict, which said that imprisonment was “never the appropriate punishment” for defamation, and called the verdict “a tactic of intimidation aimed at silencing human rights defenders.”
“This trial could have a cooling effect on human rights defenders defending racism and hate speech,” the organization said. “Under international human rights law, states can restrict their right to freedom of expression to protect the rights of others. However, restrictions on this right must be set out in law and must be necessary and proportionate to the legitimate aim pursued.
Metropolitan Seraphim has long caused controversy among Greece’s 80 metropolitans over its harsh stance on social reform and non-orthodox religions. In 2010, he blamed Jewry In a TV interview about the country’s debt crisis, while in 2012, he declared an forgiveness Pope and “all heretical branches ReformationLegislation to extend gay rights was later dedicated to the “international Zionist monster.”
In an essay published in 2017, he complained that his admission was denied Israel to the Feast of Passover in Jerusalem and accused the Zionists of pursuing “omnipotence and world power.”
He continued: “The purpose of international Zionism is to one day conquer everywhere in the universe politically and religiously. To achieve this dream, its cosmopolitan aspirations, it creates various organizations with good intentions but an invisible background and succeeds with a satanic ability to infiltrate ready-made organizations and use them for its gloomy purposes.
Mr. Gilbert and Mrs. Dimitras indicted “hate speech” against Metropolitan Seraphim after a network described by the Central Committee of the Jewish Communities of Greece as flooded with “known anti-Semitic stereotypes, conspiracy theories, and traditional anti-Semitic attitudes.” should be seen in a “Christian context”. Orthodox church learning”. Metropolitan later filed his own counterclaim and accused the couple of making false statements against him.
Speaking after the court ruling, Gilbert said an appeal had been filed against a “reasonable sentence” that “represents institutionalized anti-Semitism in Greece.”
Human Rights Watch also said it was concerned that the Greek criminal justice system was “employed by the state against civil society,” while the World Organization Against Torture in Geneva warned that human rights activists were “intentional.” targeted at their lawful work “and was at risk of” surveillance, legal harassment, arbitrary detention, arrest, assault, re-entry bans and deportations “.
The Orthodox Church, which claims to be faithful to at least 95 percent of Greece’s 11 million inhabitants and is protected as a “dominant religion” under Article 3 of the National Constitution, has not responded formally.