Greece
28.02.03
Urgent Interventions
Greece: death in detention of Mr. Alexandros Kallias
Case GRC 280203
Ill-treatment / Death in detention
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 received information from the Greek Helsinki Monitor, a member of the OMCT network, about the suicide of a detainee (Alexandros Kallias, age 55) at the General Police Directorate of Attica (GADA), a police holding facility, on February 25th, 2003, in Greece.
According to the information received, the prisoner committed suicide on the 7th floor of the GADA. It is reported that the 7th floor of the holding facilities should have been removed from service in December of 2002. The Minister of Public Order in Greece made a pledge to the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights and the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), that the holding facilities would be withdrawn entirely from active service because of the poor detention conditions that prevail within it: "It will be noted that following a relevant commitment undertaken by the Minister of Public Order towards the Commissioner of Human Rights of the Council of Europe, the holding facilities on the 7th floor of the Attica Security Directorate located at Alexandras Avenue will be withdrawn entirely from active service within the month of December of the current year." However, according to the information received, the facilities remain open and a detainee has now committed suicide on that floor.
Concerning the conditions of detention in the GADA, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights’ report stated that:
“I made a request, granted immediately, to visit the premises of the Attica General Police Directorate in Alexandras Avenue where some tens of aliens detained pending expulsion are held. They are detained in a place that is clearly unsuitable having regard to their number and to the length of their detention often extending over several weeks and even months, not more than three according to the legislation in force. However, the case has been brought to my attention of a person held there since March 2001, plainly an unreasonable length for a detention founded solely on administrative dictates. I was able to visually determine an obvious shortage of space, the lack of any facility for physical activities and outdoor exercise, and very precarious conditions of sanitation, leading up to the conclusion that in my view the conditions under which these people are detained amount to a breach of the obligation to prevent degrading treatments.”
Furthermore, a report by the CPT stated that: “Detained persons did not fare as well in other parts of Athens Police Headquarters (7th floor), (…). The premises were unhygienic and in a poor state of repair, and the available mattresses and blankets were dirty.”
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned by the reports of the death of a prisoner in a part of the GADA’s detention facilities that are known for their poor detention conditions and were supposed to be closed two months prior to the incident. OMCT is concerned with the Minister of Public Order’s lack of action concerning the pledge to shut down these facilities. OMCT is also gravely concerned with the physical and psychological integrity of other prisoners being held on the same floor.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Greece and call on them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all prisoners being held on the 7th floor of GADA;
ii. transfer all prisoners from the 7th floor to more appropriate and safe detention facilities;
iii. close the 7th floor of General Police Directorate of Attica, in line with the pledge made by the Minister of Public Order;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Constantine Simitis, Prime Minister, Prime Minister’s Office at the Hellenic Parliament, Greek Parliament Blgd, Constitution Square, Athens / Greece, Fax: +30 210 724 17 76, Email: Mail@primeminister.gr
· George Papandreou, Foreign Minister Athens, Fax: 30 210 36 81 433, Email: gpap@mfa.gr
· Mihalis Hrysohoidis, Minister of Public Order, Athens, Greece, Fax: + 30 210 6917944
· George Kaminis, Deputy Ombudsman for Human Rights, Fax 30 210 7289643
Please also write to the embassies of Greece in your respective country.
Geneva, February 28th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.
Ill-treatment / Death in detention
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 received information from the Greek Helsinki Monitor, a member of the OMCT network, about the suicide of a detainee (Alexandros Kallias, age 55) at the General Police Directorate of Attica (GADA), a police holding facility, on February 25th, 2003, in Greece.
According to the information received, the prisoner committed suicide on the 7th floor of the GADA. It is reported that the 7th floor of the holding facilities should have been removed from service in December of 2002. The Minister of Public Order in Greece made a pledge to the Council of Europe’s Commissioner for Human Rights and the Committee for the Prevention of Torture (CPT), that the holding facilities would be withdrawn entirely from active service because of the poor detention conditions that prevail within it: "It will be noted that following a relevant commitment undertaken by the Minister of Public Order towards the Commissioner of Human Rights of the Council of Europe, the holding facilities on the 7th floor of the Attica Security Directorate located at Alexandras Avenue will be withdrawn entirely from active service within the month of December of the current year." However, according to the information received, the facilities remain open and a detainee has now committed suicide on that floor.
Concerning the conditions of detention in the GADA, the Council of Europe Commissioner for Human Rights’ report stated that:
“I made a request, granted immediately, to visit the premises of the Attica General Police Directorate in Alexandras Avenue where some tens of aliens detained pending expulsion are held. They are detained in a place that is clearly unsuitable having regard to their number and to the length of their detention often extending over several weeks and even months, not more than three according to the legislation in force. However, the case has been brought to my attention of a person held there since March 2001, plainly an unreasonable length for a detention founded solely on administrative dictates. I was able to visually determine an obvious shortage of space, the lack of any facility for physical activities and outdoor exercise, and very precarious conditions of sanitation, leading up to the conclusion that in my view the conditions under which these people are detained amount to a breach of the obligation to prevent degrading treatments.”
Furthermore, a report by the CPT stated that: “Detained persons did not fare as well in other parts of Athens Police Headquarters (7th floor), (…). The premises were unhygienic and in a poor state of repair, and the available mattresses and blankets were dirty.”
The International Secretariat of OMCT is gravely concerned by the reports of the death of a prisoner in a part of the GADA’s detention facilities that are known for their poor detention conditions and were supposed to be closed two months prior to the incident. OMCT is concerned with the Minister of Public Order’s lack of action concerning the pledge to shut down these facilities. OMCT is also gravely concerned with the physical and psychological integrity of other prisoners being held on the same floor.
Action requested
Please write to the authorities in Greece and call on them to:
i. guarantee the physical and psychological integrity of all prisoners being held on the 7th floor of GADA;
ii. transfer all prisoners from the 7th floor to more appropriate and safe detention facilities;
iii. close the 7th floor of General Police Directorate of Attica, in line with the pledge made by the Minister of Public Order;
iv. guarantee the respect of human rights and the fundamental freedoms throughout the country in accordance with international human rights standards.
Addresses
· Constantine Simitis, Prime Minister, Prime Minister’s Office at the Hellenic Parliament, Greek Parliament Blgd, Constitution Square, Athens / Greece, Fax: +30 210 724 17 76, Email: Mail@primeminister.gr
· George Papandreou, Foreign Minister Athens, Fax: 30 210 36 81 433, Email: gpap@mfa.gr
· Mihalis Hrysohoidis, Minister of Public Order, Athens, Greece, Fax: + 30 210 6917944
· George Kaminis, Deputy Ombudsman for Human Rights, Fax 30 210 7289643
Please also write to the embassies of Greece in your respective country.
Geneva, February 28th, 2003
Kindly inform us of any action undertaken quoting the code of this appeal in your reply.