Greece
13.07.01
Urgent Interventions
Greece: arbitrary arrest, detention and ill-treatment of Roma man
Case GRE 130701
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, detention and ill-treatment by the police of 21-year old Andreas Kalamiotis, a Roma of Greek nationality, on June 15th 2001, in Pefkakia, Agia Pefkakia region, Greece.
According to the information received, Mr. Kalamiotis, who is father of three children, was outside his house listening to music with some friends, when at around 2 am on Friday June 15th, a police car appeared and a policeman requested that they turn off the radio, as it was disturbing the neighbours. Mr. Kalamiotis agreed to do this, and turned the radio off a couple of minutes later. At this point his friends began making their way to their cars. Mr. Kalamiotis, who was barefoot, had entered his house, but heard some noise and went to his doorstep to see what was happening. He was confronted by around 20 police cars and policemen holding guns. One policeman was pointing his weapon at Mr. Kalamiotis and threatened to shoot him. Mr. Kalamiotis was then handcuffed and arrested. He was not allowed to get any shoes, and the police reportedly insulted his wife at this point, and prevented her from getting him shoes. Some of the policemen then reportedly searched Mr. Kalamiotis’ house.
According to the information received, Mr. Kalamiotis was then reportedly dragged to a police car, where the policemen began violently beating him and kicking him when he fell to the ground. This beating continued for some time, and Mr. Kalamiotis’ children witnessed the incident and began crying. While being driven to Agia Paraskevi police station, one policeman reportedly asked Mr. Kalamiotis about the identity of the person who had “fired with the carbine,” to which Mr. Kalamiotis responded that he had not heard any shots being fired.
According to the information received, Mr. Kalamiotis was further subjected to ill treatment at the police station, most notably in the form of insults, particularly from one policeman, who seemed to be in charge, and who claimed to come from the Sfakia region. Mr. Kalamiotis asked to have some water but was told to drink from the toilet, which he refused to do. After around half an hour he was given some water. One of his friends, who had also reportedly been arrested, claimed that the police had threatened to plant heroin on him unless he testified against Mr. Kalamiotis.
According to the information received, at around 11 am on Friday morning, two police officers escorted Mr. Kalamiotis to the Athens Police Headquarters, to have his photo taken. During having his photograph taken, Mr. Kalamiotis asked to have his handcuffs removed, so that he could sit properly on the chair, but the policemen insulted him, using racial slurs. Later that day Mr. Kalamiotis appeared before the public prosecutor, and was accused of resisting arrest and insulting and threatening the police. Mr. Kalamiotis requested a three-day postponement of the trial, which was granted. Before presenting himself on Monday 18th June, Mr. Kalamiotis visited a doctor, accompanied by his lawyer, but the doctor refused to see him, demanding that he submitted a lawsuit or report to the police first. Out of fear of retaliation by the police Mr. Kalamiotis only filed a lawsuit on July 2nd, 2001. The doctor has reportedly now examined Mr. Kalamiotis, and has sent his medical report to the court. It is likely that the legal proceedings will take a very long time to complete, as they have been postponed indefinitely.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for Mr. Kalamiotis’ physical and psychological integrity, in light of the risk of retaliation by the police.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Greece urging them to:
1. ensure the respect of Mr. Kalamiotis’ physical and psychological intergrity;
2. ensure that Mr. Kalamiotis’ procedural rights are respected at all times;
3. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of this arrest, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
4. 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
· Vaso Papadreou, Minister of the interior, Ministry of the Interior, Stadiou 27str., Athens 101 83, Tel: 3223521-9, 3235610-19
· Michalis Stathopoulos, Minister of Justice, Mesogeion 96, Athens 115 27, Tel.: 7711019
Please also write to the embassies of Greece in your respective country.
Geneva, July 13th, 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, detention and ill-treatment by the police of 21-year old Andreas Kalamiotis, a Roma of Greek nationality, on June 15th 2001, in Pefkakia, Agia Pefkakia region, Greece.
According to the information received, Mr. Kalamiotis, who is father of three children, was outside his house listening to music with some friends, when at around 2 am on Friday June 15th, a police car appeared and a policeman requested that they turn off the radio, as it was disturbing the neighbours. Mr. Kalamiotis agreed to do this, and turned the radio off a couple of minutes later. At this point his friends began making their way to their cars. Mr. Kalamiotis, who was barefoot, had entered his house, but heard some noise and went to his doorstep to see what was happening. He was confronted by around 20 police cars and policemen holding guns. One policeman was pointing his weapon at Mr. Kalamiotis and threatened to shoot him. Mr. Kalamiotis was then handcuffed and arrested. He was not allowed to get any shoes, and the police reportedly insulted his wife at this point, and prevented her from getting him shoes. Some of the policemen then reportedly searched Mr. Kalamiotis’ house.
According to the information received, Mr. Kalamiotis was then reportedly dragged to a police car, where the policemen began violently beating him and kicking him when he fell to the ground. This beating continued for some time, and Mr. Kalamiotis’ children witnessed the incident and began crying. While being driven to Agia Paraskevi police station, one policeman reportedly asked Mr. Kalamiotis about the identity of the person who had “fired with the carbine,” to which Mr. Kalamiotis responded that he had not heard any shots being fired.
According to the information received, Mr. Kalamiotis was further subjected to ill treatment at the police station, most notably in the form of insults, particularly from one policeman, who seemed to be in charge, and who claimed to come from the Sfakia region. Mr. Kalamiotis asked to have some water but was told to drink from the toilet, which he refused to do. After around half an hour he was given some water. One of his friends, who had also reportedly been arrested, claimed that the police had threatened to plant heroin on him unless he testified against Mr. Kalamiotis.
According to the information received, at around 11 am on Friday morning, two police officers escorted Mr. Kalamiotis to the Athens Police Headquarters, to have his photo taken. During having his photograph taken, Mr. Kalamiotis asked to have his handcuffs removed, so that he could sit properly on the chair, but the policemen insulted him, using racial slurs. Later that day Mr. Kalamiotis appeared before the public prosecutor, and was accused of resisting arrest and insulting and threatening the police. Mr. Kalamiotis requested a three-day postponement of the trial, which was granted. Before presenting himself on Monday 18th June, Mr. Kalamiotis visited a doctor, accompanied by his lawyer, but the doctor refused to see him, demanding that he submitted a lawsuit or report to the police first. Out of fear of retaliation by the police Mr. Kalamiotis only filed a lawsuit on July 2nd, 2001. The doctor has reportedly now examined Mr. Kalamiotis, and has sent his medical report to the court. It is likely that the legal proceedings will take a very long time to complete, as they have been postponed indefinitely.
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned for Mr. Kalamiotis’ physical and psychological integrity, in light of the risk of retaliation by the police.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Greece urging them to:
1. ensure the respect of Mr. Kalamiotis’ physical and psychological intergrity;
2. ensure that Mr. Kalamiotis’ procedural rights are respected at all times;
3. guarantee an immediate investigation into the circumstances of this arrest, identify those responsible, bring them before a civil competent and impartial tribunal and apply the penal, civil and/or administrative sanctions provided by law;
4. 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
· Vaso Papadreou, Minister of the interior, Ministry of the Interior, Stadiou 27str., Athens 101 83, Tel: 3223521-9, 3235610-19
· Michalis Stathopoulos, Minister of Justice, Mesogeion 96, Athens 115 27, Tel.: 7711019
Please also write to the embassies of Greece in your respective country.
Geneva, July 13th, 2001
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply