Greek Authorities Fail to Address Police Violence

By Connie Hong
Impunity Watch Reporter, Europe

ATHENS, Greece – The Greek government’s failure to acknowledge the widespread cases of police brutality in Greece has led to the routine use of excessive force, including the use of chemical sprays and stun grenades, on peaceful demonstrators, migrants, asylum-seekers, and members of other vulnerable groups.

Greek police arresting a demonstrator. (Photo courtesy of Cryptome)
Greek police arresting a demonstrator. (Photo courtesy of Cryptome)

A case study done by Amnesty International detailed the amount of mal-treatment, physical abuse, and even torture that protestors and migrants have suffered at the hands of police.  The report also listed the brutal methods that the police use during peaceful demonstrations, which includes using tear gas and other types of chemical weapons.

In one case, a protestor was hit by a police motorbike during a demonstration in central Athens.  She suffered serious head injuries, a fractured collarbone, and fractured ribs as a result of the collision.  A doctor, also a participant in the demonstration, was beaten by the police with batons when he tried to provide medical aid to the woman.

Such brutality continues to exist mainly due to the lack of investigation, prosecution, and punishment in these types of cases.

Greek authorities have minimized the issue of police brutality, claiming that while such cases do exist, they are rare and isolated.  As a result, authorities have refused to adequately address the issue.  Investigations, if launched, are often conducted with biases.  Authorities have even denied victims prompt medical care and access to lawyers.

Amnesty International stated that the government’s lack of response led to the creation of a “climate of impunity.”

The lack of identification is a common obstacle to prosecuting and punishing those that engage in police violence.  Demonstrators, especially those who have been severely beaten and gassed, often have a hard time in making out the identification number of the offending officers.  Even if the protestor can see clearly after enduring the gas and pain, the identification numbers are still difficult to find because they have been strategically placed, if at all, on the back of the officers’ helmets.

Being unable to provide any identification numbers makes reporting an abusive officer virtually impossible.  Other reasons why many cases go unreported are either lack of faith that reporting would bring any change, or, as in the case of illegal immigrants and asylum-seekers, fear of retribution.

Although Greek police have not issued a response to Amnesty International’s report, Greece’s new justice minister, Antonis Roupakiotis, called on prosecutors to address the issue of police brutality.

“Justice officials must investigate incidents of police violence rapidly and effectively without the long and dubious procedural delays that reinforce a sense of impunity,” Roupakiotis told a newspaper.

 

For further information, please see:

Greek Reporter — Greek Justice Minister Speaks Out Against Police Violence — 8 July 2012

Amnesty International — Greece: New government should address police violence — 3 July 2012

Jurist — AI: Greece police routinely use excessive force, violence — 3 July 2012

Washington Post — Human rights group Amnesty International criticizes violence by Greek police — 3 July 2012

 

Author: Impunity Watch Archive