A witch hunt against human rights defenders in a complete reversal of reality
[Our agency publishes the full statement of the Campaign for Access to Asylum, which is placed in the indictment against Panagiotis Dimitras, a well-known lawyer and founding member of the Greek Observatory of the Helsinki Accords – EAPA. Dimitras is accused of having “set up a criminal organization with the aim of receiving details of third-country nationals attempting to enter Greece illegally, in order to facilitate their illegal entry and stay, by sending the authorities their full details and their exact location in the country, in order to be subject to asylum procedures”. All this is taking place in an environment unfavorable to the government, and it is now clear that there is a need to set up a witch hunt, as the campaign states, aiming to turn public opinion towards persons alien to it and not toward the real facts of refoulement and rights violations that occur at Greece’s entry gates.]
European and international human rights monitoring bodies record systematic and continuous complaints regarding setbacks (which are always illegal) of refugees at the Greek borders. These complaints have become more common [i]; however, instead of being investigated, the people and organizations who denounce them and go to the authorities are themselves criminally charged and prosecuted.
In an unprecedented twist of reality and in the context of systematic disinformation and propaganda against individuals and civil society organizations that dominates the vast majority of the Greek media, these very individuals are accused of allegedly illegal criminal activity when their purpose is to protect refugees. , which do their job exactly.
The latest target is Panagiotis Dimitras, known for defending human rights in Greece for decades. Panagiotis Dimitras is accused of “to establish a criminal organization to receive information about third-country nationals trying to enter Greece illegally, to facilitate their illegal entry and stay, and to send the authorities their complete information and their exact location in the country. subject to asylum procedures“.
In particular, he has been summoned for questioning before the investigative judge of Kos on 20 December 2022 in response to the above charges, which are classified as crimes. Charges are brought due to aggravating circumstances”from his profession, because the infrastructure he created (i.e. the operation of the Greek organization Helsinki Monitor) shows the intention of repeated action and profit-seeking“.
The case for which Panagiotis Dimitra is accused of the aforementioned criminal charges concerns the arrival of an asylum seeker in Greece on July 13, 2021, who is actually accused of being the leader of a criminal organization. The only illegal activity of this asylum seeker was arriving in Greece with other passengers on a boat. The same asylum seeker had previously appeared on the BBC in a report on setbacks “EU countries ‘pushing back’ asylum seekers at sea.”[ii] which coincidentally was published on the same day (13/07/2021) and condemned two previous setbacks, one of which was recorded in a video published on 10/06/2021 on the Facebook page of the Aegean Boat Report organization, which also systematically condemns setbacks in the Aegean and whose main representative is Tommy Olsen is also accused of being a member of the same alleged criminal organization.
This BBC report was widely publicized and received a lot of attention[iii]. This prompted the immigration minister to react; who, as usual, denounced the accounts as entirely without foundation[iv], despite the fact that the events were confirmed on video. The minister pointed to the fact that EU institutions have investigated many alleged setbacks and their reports have not recorded violations of European rights. This was, of course, before the release of the OLAF report following the investigation into Frontex, which revealed that Frontex, a European agency, was condoning, if not complicit in, the push. The head of Frontex, Fabrice Leggeri, resigned due to the pressure following these revelations.
In the present case, Panagiotis Dimitras acted in accordance with the goals of the organization of which he has been a founding member since 1993.[v], namely supporting human rights. He sent the Greek authorities information about the presence of asylum seekers in Greek territory and the will of these asylum seekers to be subject to asylum procedures, i.e. asking to register their protection applications and apply legal procedures.
As a spokesman for his organization, he monitors the observance of human rights in cooperation with the competent bodies of the UN, the Council of Europe and the European Union. Panagiotis Dimitrasis Member of the Board of the European Network for the Enforcement of Judgments of the European Court of Human Rights (EIN).[vi] and a member of the General Assembly of the World Organization Against Torture (OMCT).[vii] .
It is known that the Greek Helsinki Monitor has made several complaints to the competent prosecutors.[viii]Ombudsman of Greece[ix], as well as the police. The intention is always to condemn the relevant events and to support the victims of these actions in their efforts to contact the competent authorities and bodies.
None of the above would be alarming if they were not part of a general trend targeting organizations, workers and volunteers who defend asylum cases, condemn serious human rights abuses and opponents, or simply provide humanitarian aid. This witch-hunt has created a general climate of suspicion that fuels attacks by extremist racist groups. Protracted legal battles against serious unfounded charges are also a concern, as the UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders has already noted after many have already been charged or threatened with similar charges.[x] .
The hostile context outlined above is exacerbated by recent prosecutions by officials against organizations with unknown funding sources and connections to MEPs, lobbyists and journalists.who systematically spread abroad against images our I“[xi]which contributes to a general distrust of organizations that have operated legally and honestly for years.
The above context – the harassment and criminalization of human rights organizations and individuals – applies not only to Greece, but also to the competent institutions of the European Union. Despite revelations about Frontex’s tolerance, if not complicity, in repeated cases of backlash[xii], the institutions of the European Union are silent. This contributes to covering up the systematic human rights violations committed on the borders of the European Union countries, especially on the Balkan Peninsula and the Aegean Sea.
Although we expected the competent bodies and institutions and the judiciary to investigate complaints about human rights violations that have come to light, instead we are witnessing accusations against people and organizations operating at the country’s borders. Accused persons receive reports and testimonies of opposition to refugees and migrants, which they must make public and submit to the competent authorities.
In this context, the Campaign for Access to Asylum and the organizations that have signed this press release call for:
- Let’s stop the persecution of those persons and organizations who act as defenders of human rights against violations by state authorities and institutions.
- Stop systematic propaganda and misinformation directed against asylum seekers, refugees and other disadvantaged individuals and organizations.
- The investigation of all allegations of illegal return was brought to the attention of the competent authorities.
- An end to the systematic violations of basic human rights at the borders of Greece and Europe.
Signatories (in alphabetical order)
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Appendix of sources documenting cases of restitution
- United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR);[xiii]
- International Organization for Migration (IOM);[xiv]
- United Nations Committee on Enforced Disappearances (CED);[xv]
- United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC);[xvi]
- United Nations Human Rights Council;[xvii]
- United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention (WGAD);[xviii]
- UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Migrants;[xix]
- United Nations Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders;[xx]
- Human Rights Commissioner of the Council of Europe;[xxi]
- European Committee against Torture (CPT);[xxii]
- Frontex Fundamental Rights Officer (FRO);[xxiii]
[i]There is an appendix of relevant sources at the end of this document.
[ii]BBC 13/07/2021 “EU countries ‘push’ asylum seekers at sea” available at: https://bit.ly/3HLdSe1
[iii]France 24. 13.7.2021 “Greece’s coast guard faced with a new crackdown on migrants” available: https://bit.ly/3jhxUmo
[iv]Nauteboriki 13/07/2021 “Mitarakis’ response to the BBC: “Completely unfounded” accusations of illegal repatriation” availablehttps://bithttps://bit. ly/3YuRdbV/3YuRdbV
[v]https://greekhelsinki.wordpress.com/about/
[vi]https://www.einnetwork.org/structure-governance
[vii]https://www.omct.org/en/who-we-are/governance
[viii]For reference: Racist Crimes Watch 04/05/2021 “Criminal Complaint to Investigate 147 Cases of Illegal, Violent, Racist Return or Deportation of 7,000+ Foreigners in March-December 2020” available at https://bit.ly/3Ywyrkkand Racist Crimes Watch 21/07/2021 “200+ Illegal Return Cases of About 10,000 Aliens Investigated by Supreme Court Prosecutor’s Office and Citizens Advocate Following EAPC Complaints” available at https://bit.ly/3V2BE8d
[ix]Greek Helsinki Monitor 21/04/2021 “Complaint to the Ombudsman demanding the investigation of 147 cases of illegal, violent, racist abuse or deportation of more than 7,000 foreigners in March-December 2020” available athttps://bit.ly/3G2jfEw
[x]https://srdefenders.org/information/hearing-with-migrants-rights-defenders-in-greece/
[xi]Press release of the Ministry of Immigration and Asylum 14/12/2022: “Mitarakis from Parliament: NGOs embrace members of the European Parliament and journalists who spread images against our country” available at:https://bit.ly/3W5V9yj
[xii]The Guardian 14/10/2022 “EU border agency accused of serious rights abuses in leaked report” available at: https://bit.ly/3uXn8UT
[xiii]UNHCR, “UNHCR warns of increasing violence and human rights abuses at Europe’s borders”, 21 February 2022, available at: https://bit.ly/39Md9L4; “UNHCR concerned by pushback reports, refugee and asylum seeker protection claims”, 21 Aug. 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/3xNCV9O.
[xiv]IOM, “IOM Alarmed Over Reports of Pushbacks from Greece at EU-Turkey Border”, 11 June 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/39GXQDi.
[xv]CED, Concluding remarks on the report submitted by GreeceCED/C/GRC/CO/1, 12 April 2022, paras 28-31, available at: https://bit.ly/3OwtTVh.
[xvi]CRC, “Committee on the Rights of the Child experts ask Greece about Roma and refugee backlash at border”, 4 May 2022, available at: https://bit.ly/3xDCsqA.
[xvii]UN Human Rights Council, Report of the Task Force on Universal Periodic Review: GreeceA/HRC/49/5, 6 January 2022, paras 130.96, 130.202, 130.204, 130.209, 130.214, 130.215, 130.216, 130.223, 13, available at: 223, 13,https://bit.ly/3tSxghE.
[xviii]WGAD, Report on the visit to Greece,A/HRC/45/16/Add.1, 29 July 2020, paras 87–88, available at: https://bit.ly/3HINxuZ.
[xix]UN Special Rapporteur on the Human Rights of Immigrants, available at: https://bit.ly/3QxvbBn.
[xx]UN Special Rapporteur on Human Rights Defenders, Statement on preliminary observations and recommendations following an official visit to Greece, 22 June 2022, available at: https://bit.ly/3tSwZLB.
[xxi]Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights: “Greece authorities should investigate allegations of abuse and mistreatment of migrants, ensure enabling environment for NGOs and improve reception conditions”, 12 May 2021, available at: https://bit.ly/3OclKptStatement by Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights DunjaMijatović 21-10-2021 European states must resist efforts and attempts to legalize them, available at: https://bit.ly/3BCMifd, Statement by Council of Europe High Commissioner for Human Rights DunjaMijatović 7 April 2022 Beyond borders. Urgent action is needed to stop backlash across Europe’s borders at: http://bit.ly/3WnsAMd
[xxii]CPT, “Council of Europe Anti-Torture Committee Urges Greece to Reform Immigrant Detention System and End Pushbacks”, 19 November 2020, available at: https://bit.ly/39FChmQ.
[xxiii]Frontex, Annual report of the Fundamental Rights Commissioner 2021June 2022, 7, 14, 39, available at: https://bit.ly/3A1XP7J.